China box office: ‘Alice’ wins weekend, despite flopping in U.S.

Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” managed to take in $27 million in its first three days in Chinese cinemas, nearly out-earning its lackluster stateside performance.

The Johnny Depp film, hit by poor reviews and stiff competition from “X-Men: Apocalypse” in North America, grabbed the top spot at the Chinese box office, according to film industry consulting firm Artisan Gateway. But it didn’t have to go head-to-head with “X-Men” in China.

Domestically, “Alice” earned an estimated $28.1 million, compared with $65 million for “X-Men,” according to data firm ComScore.

The seven days ending Sunday were relatively slow for the Chinese box office, but imported films dominated.

Coming in a close second to “Alice” was “Angry Birds,” which earned $22.3 million in its second week in Chinese theaters; in its first 10 days of release in China, the animated movie from Rovio Entertainment has grossed $52.5 million.

Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” added another $8.6 million to its haul in the week ending Sunday, bringing its tally on the mainland to $187.6 million.

In fourth place was “Allegiant,” from Summit Entertainment. The third film in the “Divergent” young adult sci-fi series has taken in $16.5 million so far in China.

Rounding out the top five performing films was the Chinese romance “Book of Love,” which added $2.2 million to its nearly $120 million total earnings.

MORE:

Helena Bonham Carter brings her brand of formal oddity to ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’

‘X-Men’ and ‘Alice’ make for underwhelming Memorial Day weekend

‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ is more blunder than wonder

Sacha Baron Cohen goes on another Hollywood ‘wild ride’

julie.makinen@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @JulieMakLAT.