LOS ANGELES — "Verity," Amazon MGM's adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling thriller, is projected to rule the weekend box office with a domestic opening between $30 million and $35 million, putting Anne Hathaway back atop the charts for the third time this year.

The erotic thriller, starring Hathaway opposite Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, is debuting in 3,510 theaters, according to Variety, which noted the studio itself had projected a more modest $27 million to $30 million range heading into the weekend.

Cruise's 'Digger' Set to Bomb

The bigger story may be what "Verity" is beating: Tom Cruise's "Digger," a big-budget Warner Bros. release also opening this weekend, is tracking for just $12 million to $15 million from 3,300 screens — a disastrous result for a Cruise vehicle and one of the year's most expensive flops, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

ONE OF THE YEAR'S BIGGEST BOMBS.

It's a jarring reversal of typical box office hierarchy: a mid-budget erotic thriller built around a decade-old romance novel outperforming a tentpole built around one of Hollywood's last reliable movie stars. Industry analysts cited by Variety pointed to "Verity" riding a wave of built-in audience demand from Hoover's book fandom and a string of earlier Hoover adaptations.

Both films opened in theaters nationwide Friday. Studio estimates based on early Thursday previews will be updated with actual results early next week.