Suicide Squad sets August opening box office record with $135.1M

The supervillain romp Suicide Squad shrugged off scathing reviews to open with an estimated $135.1 million US in North American ticket sales, scoring one of the year's biggest box office debuts.

The Warner Bros. film, directed by David Ayer, had increased pressure on its performance following the studio's previous poorly received DC Comics film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

But Suicide Squad proved a massive draw despite its much-derided lead-in. It set a new record for an August opening, besting Marvel's 2014 hit Guardians of the Galaxy.

Media reports say the new DC Entertainment offering has earned $267 million US worldwide since Wednesday's rollout.

Not everything was roses for Suicide Squad, though. After fans flocked to theatres on Thursday night and Friday, audiences dropped steeply on Saturday. That could forecast further sharp declines in coming weeks for the $175-million US film, which also came with a massive marketing budget.

• Comic book movies like Suicide Squad target older audiences, leaving kids behind