If you consider Wolverine to be of the X-Men series then it was the second highest opening of the four films. However, it seems as though X-Men: The Last Stand did hurt the franchise as it opened below that film's $103m opening. Let's break it down.
#1 movie predicted correctly: 3 Week In A Row
This looks much like X-Men: The Last Stand in terms of eventual word of mouth. It's only a 37 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and the fanboys have already started lining up against it. From my perspective it wasn't all that bad. It wasn't all that good either, but it's not Ghost Rider terrible. But it looks like this one will be fortunate to crack $210m domestically as Star Trek is going to hammer it next weekend.
Result: 87.0 million (My rank: #1, $3.2m off)
Another franchise that might have overstayed its welcome: Matt McConaughey. This film opened worse than Fool's Gold and Failure to Launch, which means the audiences might have moved on. You'd have to look all the way back to 2003's How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days to find Matt M. in the lead on a film that had any legs at all.
Result: 15.3 million (My rank: #2, $3.8m off)
I thought it would plummet, but it merely tanked. Still, a 57 percent drop doesn't exactly speak well to the word of mouth factor.
Result: 12.2 million (My rank: #3, $1.5m off)
The big news out of this slot is that 17 Again might catch 13 Going on 30 in the "Body Switch" genre. Only $20m (worldwide) to go!
Result: 6.3 million (My rank: #4, $0.3m off)
Five for five, but things start breaking down after this slot. At $325m worldwide (on a budget of $175m) Monsters vs. Aliens won't make a profit until it hits DVD, due to the theater splits.
Result: 5.8 million (My rank: #5, $1.1m off)
It only dropped 42 percent, partly because adult fare opens lower… but bleeds slower. Oddly enough, this title also gained nine theaters this weekend, clearly someone wanted some counterprogramming.
Result: 5.6 million (My rank: #7, $1.2m off)
My problem with this title is that I respected the hell out of the original BBC series. So I have a tough time supporting a distillation.
Result: 4.18 million (My rank: #9, $.2m off)
A 62 percent drop, pretty standard these days. Is this Channing Tatum kid going to make it? Couldn't he step in for Matt McConaughey now that people seem to be done with him?
Result: 4.17 million (My rank: #6, $.4m off)
I should go ahead and give props to the guy who said Terra wouldn't crack the top ten. It finished 12th.
Result: 4.0 million (My rank: #10, $.6m off)
It will top the $40m mark sometime this week, but that shot of the newspaper being made had to cost at least fifty bucks. So they aren't outta the woods yet.
Result: 3.6 million (My rank: Not Ranked)
Any early Star Trek predictions? Star Trek: First Contact holds the box office record at $146m total, so whatever this one opens at we can assume it's going to be the biggest in the history of the franchise. I say $100m isn't out of reach. How about you?