So, Spider-Man 3 opens to a confirmed $151.1 million over the course of this last 3-day weekend and now that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest has seen its opening weekend record smashed by over $15 million Disney wants its record back. So what do they do? According to Variety they tell theaters to begin scheduling screenings of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End at 8 PM on Thursday, May 24. Variety seems to think the move “could conceivably regain bragging rights for the top opening frame” for the Mouse House.
Even though Spidey 3‘s numbers included midnight and 3 AM screenings, those times are legitimately inside the Friday and three-week time frame. With Disney opening the film one day earlier, even if it is only 4 hours earlier, it is still on Thursday, thus not making it a legitimate three-day weekend.
With rumors that At World’s End is going to have a running time north of 150 minutes and won’t be shown on as many screens as Spidey’s record-breaking 4,252 theaters I don’t think Pirates 3 stands a chance at breaking the opening weekend record set by the webbed one, even though I do think it will outlast Spider-Man 3 and make a whole boatload of cash worldwide.
The other big opening this month is Shrek the Third, which is sticking to its May 18 release, especially since its audience will be going to school on Friday and not likely out catching midnight screenings the night before.
Can Pirates 3 break the opening weekend record? Doubtful. Will it make more than Spider-Man 3 overall? You tell us in this week’s poll.
