OPENINGS: IRON MAN 3 (Disney) was exactly where it was expected to be, its $68.3M US opening day (the 8th largest ever) considerably higher than Iron Man 2‘s $51.2M, but not quite in a league with The Avengers’ $80.8M. That should mean a $170M-ish weekend. Meanwhile, Iron 3 has made a spectacular $388.3M internationally (now in all major territories), which is already higher than the overseas totals for either of its predecessors–in fact, it’s higher than any Marvel movie other than Avengers. So Robert Downey, Jr, who made $50M for his Avengers turn, can ready his off-shore accounts for another truck-load of cash when Disney wants to talk about further sequels (which it certainly does).
HOLDOVERS: Does it matter? Most of the other movies in the market were down more than 50% Friday-to-Friday, with last week’s #1 PAIN AND GAIN (Paramount) plunging 69% to $2.3M and headed for around a $50M total, and OBLIVION (Universal) down 67% to $1.7M, with little more than $90M in its US sights. The only exceptions were the family-aimed films 42 (Warners) and THE CROODS (DreamWorks Animation/20th), both down about 40% Friday-to-Friday. 42 has a shot at hitting $100M, while Croods should top $175M in the US.
LIMITED RELEASE: MUD (Lionsgate) dared to counterprogram Iron 2 by expanding to 576 theatres, which lowered its per-theatre average considerably (to what should be about $4K for the weekend, compared to Iron 3‘s $40K), giving it a $2M or so weekend, even with last weekend. THE ICEMAN (Millenium) got off to a good start with what should be a $24K average at 4 theatres, while LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED (Sony Pictures Classics) will have a more modest $8K average at 4, and SOMETHING IN THE AIR (IFC) is headed for an even smaller $4K average at 3.
NEXT WEEKEND: The most intriguing question mark of the summer is Baz Luhrmann’s $100M 3D visit to THE GREAT GATSBY (Warners). Against that, a different kind of romance: the comedy PEEPLES (Lionsgate), under Tyler Perry’s aegis, although he served only as producer.
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