Paramount and writer-director John Krasinski are breathing a sigh of relief after IF‘s domestic opening improved to an estimated $35 million thanks to a strong family turnout on Saturday.

Still, the live-action/CGI hybrid film — starring Ryan Reynolds and featuring an A-list voice cast — came in behind tracking’s projected $40 domestic opening amid an overall tough early summer at the box office. But it could have been worse. Based on Friday’s traffic, the forecast was a bleak $30 million to $31 million.

Paramount insiders say IF‘s performance is a victory for original fare, noting it is one of the top openings ever for an original live-action PG title. Critics dissed the film, but audiences awarded it with an A CinemaScore and strong exits, which are key ingredients needed for word-of-mouth and a long run as kids begin their summer break. IF is also drawing an ethnically diverse audience, which is another plus. Families made up 56 percent of the audience, while it skewed female (54 percent).

Animated family film The Garfield Movie opens next weekend, and is expected to play younger.

Overseas, IF earned a somewhat subdued $20 million from 52 markets for an early foreign total of $24 million (it opened in France and Belgium last weekend) and a global tally of $59 million.

Outside of Pixar titles — which are animated — it’s hard to find original live-action PG fare that’s done gangbusters. Even if many reviewers found flaws with IF, they still commended Krasinski for trying to crack the code, much as he did with horror when creating The Quiet Place movie franchise.

The fantasy pic explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl (Cailey Fleming) and her neighbor (Reynolds) try to reunite the IFs with their previous human pals.

The impressive voice cast features Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Louis Gossett Jr., Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Sebastian Maniscalco, Christopher Meloni, Awkwafina, Blake Lively, George Clooney, Matthew Rhys, Bradley Cooper, Amy Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key. The live-action cast is rounded out by Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas and Bobby Moynihan.

Disney and 20th Century Studio’s male-fueled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the only summer event pic so far to exceed expectations, placed a strong No. 2 with $26 million as it crossed the $100 million mark domestically in its first 10 days. Overseas, it earned another $40.6 million from 52 markets for a foreign total of $136.3 million and $237.5 million globally.