Los Angeles, California - Final Destination: Bloodlines, the latest installment in the horror movie franchise, made a grisly splash in North American theaters this weekend, raking in $51 million to debut in the top spot, industry estimates showed Sunday.

"This is a sensational opening for the sixth episode of a horror series," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, adding that critics' reviews and audience scores were "excellent."

The previous film in the franchise, Final Destination 5, opened in 2011 to just $18 million.

Kaitlyn Santa Juana stars in the Warner Bros. flick as a young woman who learns how her dying grandmother long ago cheated Death – and she now has to deal with the shocking ramifications of that.

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In second for the Friday-through-Sunday period was last weekend's leader, Marvel superhero film Thunderbolts* from Disney, at $16.5 million. The film about a motley bunch of antiheroes stars Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan.

Vampire thriller Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan in dual lead roles, claimed the third spot, taking in $15.4 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated.

Bloodlines and Sinners continued a recent string of successes for Warner Bros., on the heels of commercial flops Mickey 17, The Alto Knights, and Joker: Folie a Deux, Variety noted.