Despite mixed reviews Spider-Man 3 has broken the opening day box office record with an estimated haul of $59 million in just 24 hours.
David Germain of the AP reports:
Hollywood’s biggest superhero now has the biggest box-office debut. “Spider-Man 3” took in a record $59 million domestically on opening day Friday, breaking the previous all-time high of $55.8 million for “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” in its first day last summer.
Sony Pictures, the studio behind the “Spider-Man” franchise, also reported Saturday that the movie took in an additional $45 million overseas on Friday for a worldwide total of $104 million, a record for single-day grosses globally.
Sony spokesman Steve Elzer said executives at the studio declined to comment until estimates for the full weekend are available Sunday morning.
By then, the “Spider-Man” franchise could reclaim the record for best three-day opening ever. The first “Spider-Man” pulled in $114.8 million domestically in its debut weekend in 2002, a record that stood until “Dead Man’s Chest” shattered it with $135.6 million last July.
In a news release, Sony said it expects “Spider-Man 3” will come in around the $135 million to $145 million range for its first weekend.
Did you see it this weekend? And if so, what did you think?
> AP article on Spidey’s record breaking opening
> Box Office Mojo with more analysis