It might have scored top of the box office, but Justice League didn't have the super opening weekend predicted, falling short of expectations with takings of $96 million, according to industry estimates released Sunday.

With an all-star cast including Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, Justice League ? based on the DC Comics superheroes team ? sees a mash-up of classic characters fend off the threat of supervillain Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds).

The big-budget Warner Bros production ? which fared better internationally, taking $185 million ? was forecast to earn $110 million in North American cinemas, according to Variety.

Meanwhile, in at second ? earning $27.1 million ? was Lionsgate's newly-released Wonder, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay, Wonder follows the journey of August Pullman, a young boy with facial differences, as he enters the fifth grade at a mainstream school for the first time.

After thundering to the top spot last week, Thor: Ragnarok slipped into third place in its third weekend in cinemas, taking $21.8 million.

Featuring the self-mocking humor of Chris Hemsworth as the powerful Norse god alongside Cate Blanchett as Hela, goddess of death, Thor has raked in an impressive $247.4 million since its release in North American cinemas.

Meanwhile, Paramount's Daddy's Home 2 halved its earnings from last weekend, dropping to fourth place with $14.8 million.

The festive comedy stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as Brad and Dusty, who join forces to give their kids the perfect holiday ? an effort challenged when their own fathers show up.

In at fifth was Fox's Murder on the Orient Express, earning $13.8 million.

The fourth television or cinema adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic detective novel, the murder mystery was directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also stars as part of an A-list cast including Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

1. The Star ($10 million)

2. A Bad Moms Christmas ($6.9 million)

3. Lady Bird ($2.5 million)

4. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri ($1.1 million)

5. Jigsaw ($1.1 million)