Despite the arrival of Sony’s Resident Evil: Extinction and the Lionsgate comedy Good Luck Chuck, Eastern Promises held its own at the North American box office over the weekend, grossing US$6 million.

That puts the latest thriller from director David Cronenberg in fifth place overall in North America, up from 19th during the first week of its platform release. The film made another $800,000 in Canada, where it has expanded from seven to 200 screens. Its total here, after 11 days, stands at just over $1 million. Promises is produced by Brit Paul Webster and Robert Lantos, and is distributed by Odeon Films and Focus Features in the U.S.

Lantos’ Toronto prodco Serendipity Point Films points out that Promises has already outgrossed the total U.S. box office of other critically acclaimed Canuck titles, including The Sweet Hereafter, Away from Her and Water.

‘These are lofty numbers, quasi unchartered [sic] territory for a Canadian film,’ said Lantos in a release.

Cronenberg’s previous film, A History of Violence, generated $8.1 million in its first wide weekend, though it was a U.S. production.

Promises, starring Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts, opened the San Sebastian Film Festival last week to a reportedly warm critical and audience reception, and is slated to open the London Film Festival next month.

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This story has been corrected. It originally stated that Eastern Promises was not included on Playback‘s box office chart because it is a U.K.(80%)/Canada(20%) coproduction, when, in fact, its omission was an oversight.