LOS ANGELES: Transformers: The Last Knight smashed its way to the top of the North American box office, data showed Monday, but it was comfortably the weakest opening the franchise has seen.

The fifth installment of the blockbuster series took in $44.7 million in its debut weekend, the first Transformers movie not to debut to $100 million or more.

The visual-effects heavy film features actors Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro and Anthony Hopkins.

Last week´s big hit Pixar´s Cars 3 slowed to a second place finish in its second weekend, taking $24.9 million.

The animated movie features Lightning McQueen and his longtime friends fighting off a challenge from a new generation of racers, voiced by stars including Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo and Armie Hammer.

Warner Bros. superhero movie Wonder Woman fell to third place with $24.1 million.

The action film starring Gal Gadot has made a total of $318.1 million in domestic ticket sales in four weeks, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Gadot, of the Fast and Furious series, plays an Amazonian goddess-princess whose lasso, bracelet and tiara have magical powers.

47 Meters Down, the adventures of two sisters who fend off a shark attack after going cage diving, scored $7.1 million.

Coming in fifth was The Mummy, starring Tom Cruise, which made $6.1 million.

The film -- the latest revival of the original Mummy made in 1932 -- cost $125 million to make and has been widely panned by critics.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

All Eyez On Me ($5.8 million)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ($5.4 million)

Rough Night ($4.7 million)

Captain Underpants ($4.3 million)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($3 million)