‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ tops ‘Alice in Wonderland’ sequel at weekend box office

LOS ANGELES — “X-Men: Apocalypse” easily topped the Memorial Day weekend box office, racking up $80 million over the four-day period, in an otherwise forgettable holiday for the movie business.

Its victory came at the expense of “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” which is shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest bombs. The follow-up to 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland” eked out $34.2 million over the four-day holiday, a far cry from the $116.1 million debut of the first film, and a disastrous start for a pricey film.

Final numbers are still being tallied, but even though this year’s Memorial Day topped last year’s holiday, at just over $200 million in total grosses, it trails the record of $314.2 million established in 2013. That weekend saw a clash between “Fast & Furious 6” and “The Hangover III,” and while this edition also fielded a high-profile matchup between “X-Men” and “Alice in Wonderland” sequels, overall ticket sales were somewhat disappointing.

Although the latest “X-Men” was the weekend’s biggest winner, its opening paled in comparison to the $110.6 million debut of its predecessor, “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which hit theaters over the same holiday weekend in 2014. The sequel is set in the 1980s and finds the team of mutant heroes battling an all-powerful villain from the ancient world (Oscar Isaac). Fox backed the $178 million production.

“Alice Through the Looking Glass” will have to look abroad for assistance if it wants to salvage its $170 million production budget and the tens of millions spent marketing and promoting the fantasy adventure. Its bad news for star Johnny Depp. The actor, once one of Hollywood’s biggest draws, has suffered a string of flops such as “Black Mass,” “Transcendence,” and “The Lone Ranger.” He also is embroiled in a divorce from Amber Heard. The actress has accused Depp of physically abusing her and filed for a restraining order.