'THE Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' topped the North American box office in its first weekend in theaters with $44 million in ticket sales, studio estimates showed on Sunday.

It was a busy weekend at the multiplex, leading into the often lucrative Thanksgiving corridor. And while there was plenty to choose from at the buffet, not everything could be a hit. Audiences had 'The Marvels,' which plummeted a record 78 percent in its second weekend, as well as the nationwide debuts of the family-friendly 'Trolls World Tour,' Taika Waititi's soccer comedy 'Next Goal Wins' and the R-rated slasher 'Thanksgiving,' all in wide release.