NEW YORK — The recent slump of sequels at the box office finally caught a break with “The Conjuring 2,” a horror sequel that topped weekend theaters with an estimated $40.4 million.

The Warner Bros. film, in which Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson play married paranormal investigators, opened nearly on par with its 2013 original, which was also directed by James Wan. That film debuted with $41.8 million and went on to earn $319 million globally.

The big-budget video-game adaptation “Warcraft,” a co-production between Universal and Legendary that reportedly cost $160 million to make, came in second with $24.4 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Though it effectively bombed in North America, “Warcraft” has been a hit overseas, particularly in China.

In China, the film, taken from the “World of Warcraft” video game franchise, has made a staggering $156 million in its first five days. That surpasses the foreign film release record of “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” not to mention blockbusters like “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Why has “Warcraft,” a poorly reviewed video game adaption, done so well in China? The game it’s based on, “World of Warcraft,” has long been especially popular there, even spawning a theme park. The film’s Chinese release was also handled by Legendary, the production company bought this year by China’s entertainment and real estate powerhouse Dalian Wanda Group Co.

The Lionsgate magician caper “Now You See Me 2,” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson, opened in third place with $23 million domestically.

– The Associated Press