Thor: The Dark World held on to the North American crown for its third and most likely final weekend ahead of the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Marvel Studios’ superhero saga added an estimated $38.5m to bring the running total to $146.9m after three sessions.

Universal’s comedy The Best Man Holiday produced an excellent debut at number two on $30.6m and stars Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall and Terrence Howard.

Oscar contender Gravity has crossed $500m worldwide and ranks sixth in North America on $240.6m after seven weekends.

Ender’s Game fell two places to number seven through Lionsgate-Summit and stands at $53.8m after three sessions and Sony’s Oscar contender Captain Phillips is on the cusp of $100m on $97.6m after six weekends.

12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen’s Oscar contender, went up one place to number eight and has amassed $24.9m after five sessions.

Dallas Buyers Club, fresh from its Rome Film Festival audience award win and the best actor prize for Matthew McConaughey, climbed three places to number 12 on $1.8m for $3m after three weekends. The Oscar contender is in the early stages and Focus Features expanded the theatre count from 35 to 184.

Meanwhile two other awards contenders were in action. Roadside Attractions’ All Is Lost climbed one place to number 13 and brought in $979,000 from 483 for $4.3m after five.

Paramount’s Nebraska debuted well on $140,000 from four sites for a $35,000 average.

Next weekend sees the arrival of Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire starring Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. DreamWorks’ comedy remake Delivery Man starring Vince Vaughn arrives through Buena Vista.

Estimated Top 10 North America Nov 15-17 2013
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (1) Thor: The Dark World (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $38.5m $146.9m

2 (-) The Best Man Holiday (Universal) UPI $30.6m –

3 (4) Last Vegas (CBS Films) Good Universe $8.9m $46.9m

4 (3) Free Birds (Relativity Media) Relativity International $8.3m $42.2m

5 (2) Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (Paramount) PPI $7.7m $90m

6 (6) Gravity (Warner Bros) WBPI $6.3m $240.6m

7 (5) Ender’s Game (Lionsgate-Summit) Sierra/Affinity $6.2m $53.8m

8 (7) 12 Years A Slave (Fox Searchlight) Lionsgate International $4.7m $24.9m

9 (8) Captain Phillips (Sony) SPRI $4.5m $97.6m

10 (9) About Time (Universal) UPI $3.5m $11.6m