Johnny Depp's Black Mass scores second place at box office after Maze Runner film takes $7m more to get top spot

Published: 11:58 EST, 20 September 2015 | Updated: 12:48 EST, 20 September 2015

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Black Mass, which has been hailed as a return to form for Johnny Depp, was beaten into second place on its opening weekend.

The film about Boston gangster Whitey Bulger and his unholy alliance with the FBI, pulled in $23.4 million across the US.

It was topped by Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, the sequel to last year's post-apocalyptic young adult hit, which raked in $30.3 million.

Sequel: The Maze Runner: Scorch Trails topped the US Box Office this week, taking $30.3 million

The science fiction action flick cost $61 million to make, most of which seems to have been spent on special effects given the lack of big names in the cast.

Whereas, Black Mass is bolstered by strong reviews and a cast of respected character actors and veterans including Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley and Kevin Bacon and cost $53 million to make.

True life tale Everest aped the approach used by Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in 2011 by offering an opening in a special, Imax-only run across 545 screens nationwide.

Johnny's back: In second place is Black Mass, a look Boston gangster Whitey Bulger and his unholy alliance with the FBI, which has been hailed as a return to form for Johnny Depp

The $55 million adventure film stars Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, and Jake Gyllenhaal, and scored a fifth place this week, with takings of $7.6 million for the 3D adventure based on the events of the 1996 Everest disaster.

It was beaten by Universal's The Visit, which picked up $11.3 million in its second weekend and third place, and Sony's The Perfect Guy, which finished with $9.9 million in fourth position.

The films have made a total of $42.3 million and $41.6 million, respectively.

Two of the five films at the top of the box office are based on real life tales and true story Captive missed out on becoming the third.

True story: Everest had an IMAX only opening which took $13.3 million

It's based on the book Unlikely Angel, about escaped criminal Brian Nichols - played by David Oyelowo - who kidnapped a young woman - Ashley Smith, played by Kate Mara - to hold hostage.

She gains strength from celebrity pastor Rick Warren's inspirational books during her ordeal and Paramount were no doubt hoping to engage the faith-based crowds that lifted War Room to box office heights.

It had a mediocre showing of roughly $1.4 million, but given the film's $2 million budget, it doesn't carry a lot of risk.

US BOX OFFICE TOP FIVE

1. The Maze Runner: Scorch Trails ($30.3m)

2. Black Mass ($23.4m)

3. The Visit ($11.3m)

4. The Perfect Day ($9.9m)

5. Everest ($7.6 m)

In the indie world, a look a troubled chess great Bobby Fischer, Pawn Sacrifice, debuted to $206,879, while drug war thriller Sicario got off to a sizzling start of $146,494 from just six engagements. That translates to a sterling $65,000 per-screen average, the highest this year. The much anticipated Sicario expands to approximately 50 theaters next weekend and goes nationwide on Oct. 2.

Starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, the movie is already generating Oscars buzz even ahead of a full opening.

Overall ticket sales rose 9% over the same period a year ago, when the first Maze Runner and Liam Neeson's A Walk Among the Tombstones topped the box office.

Keep the faith: Captive is a true story about a woman (Kate Mara) who gains strength from celebrity pastor Rick Warren's inspirational books while being held hostage by an ex-convict (David Oyelowo)