In the footsteps of the Marvel superhero films released this year, 'Eternals' raked in $9.5 million at its Thursday previews, making it the third best for the Covid era, behind 'Black Widow' ($13.2 million) and 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' ($11.6 million). Its haul was ahead, though, of 'Shang-Chi', which had opened with $8.8 million, reports 'Variety'.

The Chloe Zhao film starring Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek may have got a 'Rotten' rating on 'Rotten Tomatoes', and been banned in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar because it shows gay love, but audiences forked out an estimated $19.8 million to watch it in theatres across 39 markets in its first two days.