The superhero movie "Fantastic Four" took $56 million in its first three days and managed to snap Hollywood's longest box office slump in more than two decades, according to preliminary numbers released on Sunday. It is hoped the movie will resurrect the domestic movie revenue, which had been down 19 weekends in a row compared to last years.

"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 summer blockbuster, "War of the Worlds", directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, took second place with $31.3 million in its first weekend. In 12 days, the movie raised a total of $165.8 million in the U.S.

"Batman Begins" (10.2 million dollars) was third, followed by the debut of ``Dark Water'' (10.1 million) and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' (7.8 million).

"Fantastic Four", directed by Tim Story, brings the Marvel's beloved superhero team to the big screen: Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic, who can elongate his body; Susan Storm / Invisible Woman, who not only can become invisible at will but can render other objects invisible; Johnny Storm / Human Torch, who can shoot fire from his finger tips and bend flame; and Ben Grimm / The Thing, a hideously misshapen monster with superhuman strength, together battle the evil Doctor Doom.