Proving that Tom Cruise still has mass Hollywood appeal even after his last few flops, 'Oblivion' delivered one of the star's biggest ever openings at the box office this weekend.

The science-fiction film grossed $38.2 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to an estimate from distributor Universal Pictures, owned by Comcast Corp. CMCSA +1.43% That is a solid, if not fantastic, start for a movie of its size.

'Oblivion' cost about $150 million to produce, according to a person involved in the production. A studio spokeswoman said the final cost after tax credits from shooting locations including the United Kingdom and Louisiana was $120 million. Universal co-financed the movie with a fund managed by hedge fund Elliott Associates LP.

The best news for the picture came overseas, where Mr. Cruise has remained far more popular than in the U.S. and where special effects-laden movies tend to do better. After two weeks in theaters in most foreign countries, 'Oblivion' has grossed $112 million overseas.

It has done particularly well in Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea. Next month it will open in China.

For Mr. Cruise, the film's solid performance provides some redemption after a trio of disappointments in the past three years: 'Jack Reacher,' 'Rock of Ages' and 'Knight & Day.'

'Oblivion' was the star's fifth-biggest opening ever and the second biggest outside of the successful 'Mission: Impossible' series, behind only 2005's 'War of the Worlds.'

'It's so gratifying to show that Tom can open a film,' said Nikki Rocco, Universal's president of domestic distribution.

With 'Oblivion,' Universal made the increasingly rare move in Hollywood of producing a costly movie that isn't a sequel or based on a well known comic book, novel or videogame.

Reviews were mixed, as were audience reactions. The average score from opening night ticket buyers was a B-, according to market research firm CinemaScore. That raises questions about whether 'Oblivion' will hold well in the domestic marketplace, particularly with the highly anticipated 'Iron Man 3' opening in just two weeks.

The other notable box-office performance this weekend came from the Jackie Robinson biopic '42.' Its ticket sales declined only 34% to $18 million, signaling that word-of-mouth is very strong on the movie, which received an A+ CinemaScore when it opened last week.