The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.
Walt Disney Pictures’ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides opened domestically with an estimated $90.1 million from 4,155 theaters for an average of $21,685 per theater this weekend. While that is the biggest debut for a movie of the year so far, the number falls short of the previous two “Pirates” sequels – “Dead Man’s Chest” brought in $135.6 million in 2006 and “At World’s End” took in $114.7 million its first weekend in 2007. The first film, “The Curse of the Black Pearl” grossed $46.6 million domestically its first weekend in 2003.
The big story, however, is that “On Stranger Tides” earned a record $256.3 million from about 20,000 screens in 100 foreign markets its first five days, surpassing the previous international record of $236 million set by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2009.
Worldwide, “On Stranger Tides” has already reached $346.4 million, which marks the fourth-largest global opening ever. The action adventure, directed by Rob Marshall and starring Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Kevin R. McNally, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Sam Claflin and Geoffrey Rush, cost about $250 million to make.
Domestically, Universal’s Bridesmaids dropped just 19.% in ticket sales and remained in second place to bring in another $21.1 million its second weekend. The Paul Feig-directed comedy, starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper and Melissa McCarthy, has earned $59.5 million compared to its budget of $32.5 million.
Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios’ Thor fell two spots to third with $15.5 million and has reached $145.4 million domestically after three weeks. Internationally, the comic book adaptation added $9 million to bring its foreign total to $247 million after three weeks. That puts the combined worldwide total at $392.4 million so far.
Universal’s Fast Five dipped one spot to fourth with $10.6 million and has made $186.2 million in North America after four weeks. Overseas, the sequel grossed $25 million this weekend to bring its total to $320 million. The worldwide total for the $125 million film now stands at an impressive $506.2 million.
Fox’s Rio rounded out the top five with $4.7 million its sixth weekend in theaters. The animated film has reached $131.6 million domestically and $316.4 million overseas for a worldwide sum of $448 million.
In its second weekend in theaters, Priest lost 69.2% in ticket sales and brought in $4.6 million for a total of $23.7 million. The film cost $60 million to make.
Also in limited release, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris opened in just 6 theaters and earned a strong $579,000 for an average of $96,500 per site.
Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.
