'Ben-Hur' finished in fifth place at the box office for its opening weekend, with an estimated $11.4 million in the United States and Canada.
"Suicide Squad" held the top spot in theaters for the third week with an estimated $20.7 million and has grossed $262.3 million.
Ben-Hur's fifth-place finish is a disappointing showing for the big-budget, biblical-period remake of the classic story. It's based on the 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace.
Adaptations for the screen were made in the silent era in 1907 and 1925. But the most famous cinematic take on the story was released in 1959, starring Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. The film won a record 11 Academy Awards and is still considered one of the greatest pictures produced for the big screen.
This latest release was co-produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, who have a successful track record with Hollywood treatments of biblically themed stories. The husband and wife team produced the highly successful "The Bible" mini-series, the film "Son of God," and the television series "A.D."
The couple's attachment to the film helped it earn support from religious leaders and audiences. Many praised it for not sacrificing the story's compelling faith component. But that support wasn't enough to fill theater seats.
Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore said negative reviews hurt the film's release.
"This has been very tough on sequels and remakes," Moore told reporters. "The challenge on all of us is to make sure the movies are fresh and that they are top quality, even if it is a sequel or remake."
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