Tom Cruise returned to the top of the North American charts for the first time since December 2011 as Oblivion debuted on an estimated $38.2m from 3,783 sites.

The sci-fi thriller from Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski delivered Cruise his fifth best opening weekend behind War Of The Worlds’ $64.9m in June 2005, Mission: Impossible II’s $57.8m in May 2000, Mission: Impossible III’s $47.7m in May 2006 and Mission: Impossible’s $45.4m in May 1996.

Oblivion’s global box office already stands at more than $150m including the $112m international running total from two sessions. The film drew $5.5m from 323 IMAX screens.

Last weekend’s champion, 42, slipped one place and stands at $54.1m. DreamWorks Animation’s The Croods ranks third and has grossed $154.9m through Fox after three weekends.

The Place Beyond The Pines climbed four places following a 1,028 theatre expansion that puts it in 1,542 sites. The $4.7m weekend haul boosted the early tally to $11.4m after four sessions.

Olympus Has Fallen continued to march towards $100m and ranks seventh on $88.8m after five weekends.

Samuel Goldwyn opened Home Run at number 12 on $1.6m from 381 sites while Lionsgate opened Filly Brown one place below on $1.4m from 288. The Lords Of Salem arrived through Anchor Bay on $622,000 from 354.

Cohen Media Group debuted Francois Ozon’s In The House on $35,200 from three sites.

Next weekend’s wide releases are Paramount’s Pain And Gain and Lionsgate’s The Big Wedding.

Estimated Top 10 North America Apr 19-21 2013
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Oblivion (Universal) UPI $38.2m –
2 (1) 42 (Warner Bros-Legendary) $18m $54.1m
3 (3) The Croods (DreamWorks Animation-Fox) Fox Int’l $9.5m $154.9m
4 (2) Scary Movie 5 (Dimension Films/TWC) $6.3m $22.9m
5 (4) G.I. Joe: Retaliation (Paramount-MGM) PPI $5.8m $111.2m
6 (10) The Place Beyond The Pines (Focus Features) Sierra/Affinity $4.7m $11.4m
7 (7) Olympus Has Fallen (FilmDistrict) Nu Image $4.5m $88.8m
8 (5) Evil Dead (TriStar-FilmDistrict) SPRI $4.1m $48.4m
9 (6)Jurassic Park 3D (Universal) UPI $4m $38.5m
10 (8) Oz The Great And Powerful (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $3m $223.8m