Friday Report: ‘Wolverine’ Rages on First Day
Author: Brandon Gray | 
On Friday, X-Men Origins: Wolverine kicked off the summer movie season with an estimated $35 million on approximately 8,300 screens at 4,099 locations. That ranks as the 16th highest-grossing opening day ever (and 22nd when ticket-price inflation is factored). The gross includes nearly $5 million from its first midnight shows at around 2,000 sites.
Compared to past summer season first days, Wolverine was the fourth biggest, behind Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man and Iron Man, which garnered $35.2 million on the same Friday last year (not including $3.5 million in Thursday night previews). X2: X-Men United comes in fifth with $31.2 million, although, adjusted for ticket price inflation, it would rate a bit higher than Wolverine with over $37 million. Based on the patterns of past similar movies, Wolverine is headed for an over $80 million weekend.
The romantic comedy that counter-programmed Wolverine had a relatively soft start. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past barely made more than Made of Honor on the same Friday last year, grossing an estimated $5.8 million on around 3,800 screens at 3,175 locations. In terms of attendance, it was the weakest opening day yet for a Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy, paling compared to Fool's Gold's $7.5 million and Failure to Launch's $8.5 million among others. Should Ghost of Girlfriends Past perform in the same vein as past titles, it will wind up with a $15-16 million weekend.
The other nationwide debut, Battle for Terra, pulled in about a quarter of a million dollars at 1,162 sites. That was double the opening day of Delgo, which had nearly a thousand more theaters, but a fraction of Fly Me to the Moon, which had less than half the theaters. Battle for Terra has a shot at $1 million for the weekend in what will be one of the worst openings ever for a computer-animated feature. It was no match for Monsters Vs. Aliens, which made an estimated $1.3 million on Friday, its 36th day.
Following its impressive debut last week, Obsessed tumbled 63 percent to an estimated $4.2 million on Friday, ranking third. A big drop was always in store for the thriller, and its total grew to $39 million in eight days. 17 Again continued to track in line with 13 Going on 30 and grossed an estimated $2 million for $44.1 million in 15 days. Meanwhile, The Soloist, Fighting and Earth lost traction in their second Fridays. Brandon Gray
Compared to past summer season first days, Wolverine was the fourth biggest, behind Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man and Iron Man, which garnered $35.2 million on the same Friday last year (not including $3.5 million in Thursday night previews). X2: X-Men United comes in fifth with $31.2 million, although, adjusted for ticket price inflation, it would rate a bit higher than Wolverine with over $37 million. Based on the patterns of past similar movies, Wolverine is headed for an over $80 million weekend.
The romantic comedy that counter-programmed Wolverine had a relatively soft start. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past barely made more than Made of Honor on the same Friday last year, grossing an estimated $5.8 million on around 3,800 screens at 3,175 locations. In terms of attendance, it was the weakest opening day yet for a Matthew McConaughey romantic comedy, paling compared to Fool's Gold's $7.5 million and Failure to Launch's $8.5 million among others. Should Ghost of Girlfriends Past perform in the same vein as past titles, it will wind up with a $15-16 million weekend.
The other nationwide debut, Battle for Terra, pulled in about a quarter of a million dollars at 1,162 sites. That was double the opening day of Delgo, which had nearly a thousand more theaters, but a fraction of Fly Me to the Moon, which had less than half the theaters. Battle for Terra has a shot at $1 million for the weekend in what will be one of the worst openings ever for a computer-animated feature. It was no match for Monsters Vs. Aliens, which made an estimated $1.3 million on Friday, its 36th day.
Following its impressive debut last week, Obsessed tumbled 63 percent to an estimated $4.2 million on Friday, ranking third. A big drop was always in store for the thriller, and its total grew to $39 million in eight days. 17 Again continued to track in line with 13 Going on 30 and grossed an estimated $2 million for $44.1 million in 15 days. Meanwhile, The Soloist, Fighting and Earth lost traction in their second Fridays. Brandon Gray