The force stays with 'Rogue One' for a third straight week

"Rogue One," the latest chapter in the "Star Wars" intergalactic saga, kept a firm grip on the box office top spot for a third straight week, industry estimates for North America showed on Sunday.

The Disney film, the first stand-alone episode in the eight-film series, follows the mission of rebel alliance fighters trying to steal plans to the Empire's feared Death Star.

At this point in the three-day New Year's holiday weekend, "Rogue One" has taken in $49.7 million in US and Canadian theaters, bringing its three-week total to $441 million, Exhibitor Relations reported. 

Universal's animated musical "Sing" was the runner-up for a second straight week, with a $41.4 million take so far this weekend and an accumulated total of $177.3 million. 

The actors who voice the cartoon characters -- Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson and Reese Witherspoon -- also do their own singing.

The Sony sci-fi thriller "Passengers" maintained its third-place position, though far behind the two leaders, with a $16.1 million take in its second week, for total revenues of $61.4 million. 

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt as astronauts who accidentally awaken from hibernation -- 90 years too early -- during a deep-space mission.

"Moana," a computer-animated musical fantasy from Disney about a brave Polynesian teenager, climbed back to fourth place from sixth in its sixth week, pulling in $10.5 million, for a $213 million total so far. 

In fifth place, and also on the rise, was Paramount's "Fences," Denzel Washington's adaptation of an August Wilson play about racial tensions and failed dreams, which rose from seventh position to take in $10.2 million, for total revenues of $32.7 million since its release three weeks ago.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Why Him?" ($10 million)

"La La Land" ($9.5 million)

"Assassin's Creed" ($8 million)

"Manchester by the Sea" ($4.2 million)

"Collateral Beauty" ($4 million)