There was no confusion over which film would end up number one at this weekend’s box-office. I didn’t do the research, but I wonder if there has ever been a wide release, major studio superhero franchise film that didn’t take the number one slot at their respective opening weekend box-office. Has that ever happened? I’m too lazy to search the vast history of the box-office, but if you’re not I’d love to hear the results.
All that said, yes, X-Men: First Class will be taking the number one slot at this weekend’s box-office after an estimated $3.4 million in midnight runs, just a bit over the $3.3 million earned by Thor, though it will fall well shy of Thor‘s $65 million opening weekend.
Combined with that midnight tally, X-Men took home $21 million on Friday and is likely to end the weekend with around $54 million, which means Laremy’s nearly $73 million prediction was a bit of wishful thinking. Is this an upset for the franchise’s fifth film? Is this a franchise restart or a franchise finale? That’s actually a question I’ll be asking again on Monday so prepare your answers.
Meanwhile, The Hangover: Part II is sticking around in second place with an estimated $10.5 million. Of course, if you forget the fact last week was a holiday opening that means you’re looking at a 65% dip from one Friday to the next, but that’s not really fair in this case. Considering all the negative press I think this is actually a pretty good hold and should result in another $33 million for the film in its second weekend, which would bring its domestic total to over $180 million in just two weeks. Yowsas.
Kung Fu Panda 2 brought in an estimated $6.3 million on Friday and should hit around $20 million for the weekend, a more than 50% drop from last weekend’s $47 million opening.
The other story in the top five is one I already covered last week as Bridesmaids will crack $100 million this weekend.
Otherwise, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris continues to do solid business and after an estimated $705,000 on Friday, should end around $2.4 million for the weekend for a $16,326 per theater average. The Tree of Life, from 20 theaters, brought home $180,000 on Friday and should end the weekend at about $550,000, for a per theater for the weekend around $27,500.
I have included the Friday top ten directly below and will be back Sunday morning with a complete wrap-up.
- X-Men: First Class – $21 million
- The Hangover Part II – $10.4 million
- Kung Fu Panda 2 – $6.2 million
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – $5 million
- Bridesmaids – $3.6 million
- Thor – $1.1 million
- Fast Five – $962,000
- Midnight in Paris – $705,000
- Something Borrowed – $265,000
- Jumping the Broom – $240,000
