As expected, there was no stopping the Top Gun sequel’s steep blastoff: it broke the speed barrier all over the world, and the German-speaking countries were no exception.

After a more or less stagnant four weeks in the German charts, there were lots of shake-ups this last weekend, most coming from domestic films. But let’s start with the huge debut of what is now the number one movie. It seems like everyone felt the need for speed after the highly promoted Top Gun: Maverick world premiere at the Cannes film festival. The Tom Cruise starrer soared to the top, despite some critical reviews that deemed its leading man too old for such high-flying adventures. The fans did not care. This proves that sometimes big-name actors (Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and Val Kilmer also star) are not necessarily the biggest box office draw for fans and that the story and action can speak for themselves.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Fantastische Tierwesen 3: Dumbledores Geheimnisse (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) came in behind in second and third place. The highest-ranking debut is Mia and Me – Das Geheimnis von Centopia (Mia and Me – The Secret of Centopia) is a film based on a popular animated TV series of the same name that is in its third season with altogether 78 episodes having aired already. Jointly produced by Australia, Belgium, Germany, and India, it chronicles young Mia’s quest to save a magical world called Centopia.

Following is the second installment of a beloved German horse movie: Immenhof – Das Grosse Versprechen (Immenhof – The Big Promise). The adventures of two sisters and one cousin who take over a horse farm and battle a poison attack on a champion steed whose owner – German star Heiner Lauterbach – is trying to hide his prized racehorse, have enchanted audiences. Director Sharon von Wietersheim helms this film which finds its origin in a whole slew of TV episodes and older movies that aired between 1955-1954. Immenhof is Germany’s version of Black Beauty.

In number six, the horse is followed by a Dog. The buddy- and road movie about the friendship between a war-trained female bitch and an ex-army ranger stars Channing Tatum, Luke Forbes and Ethan Suplee. Making this one Channing Tatum’s second film in the top ten after The Lost City – Das Geheimnis der Verlorenen Stadt which slipped from the top three to seventh place.

Die Gangster Gang (The Bad Guys), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Die Biene Maja – Das Geheime Königreich (Maja, the Bee – The Golden Orb) round out the top ten.

In Austria, Dog even barked its way into the top three, right behind Top Gun: Maverick and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

The Lost City – Das Geheimnis der Verlorenen Stadt stayed in the fourth spot, with Fantastische Tierwesen 3: Dumbledores Geheimnisse (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) sliding down to fifth, followed by Die Biene Maja – Das Geheime Königreich (Maja, the Bee – The Golden Orb), Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Everything Everywhere All at Once, the French comedy Meine Schrecklich Verwöhnte Familie (My incredibly spoiled family) and Die Gangster Gang (The Bad Guys).

What can be said with certainty is that the three genres of family fare, cartoons, and high-stakes action, definitely get German and Austrian audiences to the cinema.