Box Office - 'Wolverine' Kicks Off Summer With $87 Million Effort

Even though X-Men Origins: Wolverine has been beaten up by critics and its opening weekend doesn't compare with last summer's big superhero movies, the $87 million it earned this weekend is still the 18th best debut ever. But what matters at this point is how much more it can makes this month, in possibly the busiest box office month ever. The daily figures from Box Office Mojo point to a slight reduction in audience on Saturday and Sunday, but all and all, it was a pretty strong opening weekend. But what happens when Star Trek opens? Can it hold half of the audience from this weekend? Fox would definitely love this to make $200 million, and that's still likely depending on what happens in the next seven days. But the bad reviews might make $225 million the ceiling rather than the basement, so it's clearly not going to be the success Iron Man was. The week's other two releases, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Terra, barely made headlines. The McConaughey romantic comedy did roughly what was expected and as the only film of its type in theaters all month, should continue to bottom feed to earn some cash. Last year, What Happens in Vegas generated $80 million in the U.S. and over $200 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful movies of the season, but I don't see Girlfriends Past reproducing that feat. McConaughey does not draw crowds overseas, so the $40 - $55 million it will earn in the states will account for most of its business. Terra, Lionsgate's entry in the 3-D race, was only released in abut $1000 theaters and received very little promotion and advertising. It's another huge defeat for the troubled Lionsgate, which can't get out of its own way unless a Saw or Tyler Perry movie is in theaters. This means that its last two films, Terra and Crank: High Voltage, combined to make less than $8 million on their opening weekends. Cigars all around! The Top Five:
1 - Wolverine ($87million)
2 - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ($15.3 million)
3 - Obsessed ($12.2 million)
4 - 17 Again ($6.3 million)
5 - Monsters vs. Aliens ($5.8 million)

Comments

[MRPigg]

Star Trek is going to be huge. Everyone I have heard from who has seen it has nothing but good things to say about it. People I know who hate all things Star Trek want to see it. And most importantly, a lot of women I know who aren't geeks want to see it. It may be the biggest hit of the year. If not, it will be very close.

[Get The Big Picture]

It's great. Seriously. It's been a long time since I've had so much fun watching a movie. I think I had it at $277 million, the third biggest summer movie. Something like that. I still don't think it's going to top Potter and Transformers, but it might get to three bills.

[Josh]

From seeing the trailers to Star Trek, it almost looks like it's trying to do too much with a reboot/origins style story. Doesn't make me want to see it any less, just hoping they don't try and cram too much in there.