LOS ANGELES - The latest superhero movie may have been just fantastic enough to snap Hollywood's longest modern losing streak at the box office.

The comic-book adaptation "Fantastic Four" raked in $56 million during its first three days, apparently helping to end a swoon in which domestic movie revenues had been down 19 weekends in a row compared to last year's.

The top 12 films took in $141 million, up 2.25 percent from the same weekend in 2004, according to industry estimates Sunday.

"It took four superheroes to end this slump, and Hollywood is grateful," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "Comic-book movies, if properly marketed, are exactly what mainstream audiences want to see in their summer movies."

The movie bumped the previous weekend's top film, "War of the Worlds," into second place with $31.3 million. "War of the Worlds" raised its 12-day domestic total to $165.8 million.

Based on the Marvel Comics series that debuted in the early 1960s, "Fantastic Four" stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans as astronauts who gain superpowers after exposure to a cosmic storm.

1. "Fantastic Four," $56 million.

2. "War of the Worlds," $31.3 million.

3. "Batman Begins," $10.2 million.

4. "Dark Water," $10.1 million.

5. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," $7.85 million.

6. "Herbie: Fully Loaded," $6.3 million.

7. "Bewitched," $5.5 million.

8. "Madagascar," $4.3 million.

9. "Rebound," $2.9 million.

10. "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," $2.6 million.