Posted on 05/30/2006 1:09:02 PM PDT by blitzgig
LOS ANGELES - The superhero epic "X-Men: The Last Stand" proved magnetic over the Memorial Day weekend, taking in $120.1 million, the biggest opening ever for the holiday weekend.
Preliminary estimates also gave the latest installment of the comic book franchise the fourth best three-day opening ever and the best single Friday in movie history with a gross of $45.5 million.
The film's box office was the second-biggest one-day gross ever after last year's "Star Wars: Episode III."
The movie exceeded expectations, including those of 20th Century Fox, which released it.
"Wow," said Bruce Snyder, head of distribution at 20th Century Fox. "It blew my expectations away. It's rarefied air."
The film was embraced by audiences despite mixed reviews and fears about what would happen to the franchise when director Brett Ratner, best known for the buddy-comedy "Rush Hour" movies, took over the from Bryan Singer, who is directing this year's "Superman Returns."
The movie's climactic tale of a drug company developing a "cure" for the mutants appealed across the board.
"There was something for everybody to relate to," Snyder said. "That's what makes 'X-Men' crackle as it does. Everyone has these feelings of being a little bit different."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I saw it and really enjoyed it. Did you wait until the credits were finished scrolling?
Yes I did. Certainly leaves the door open for a possible new chapter in the series, doesn't it?
I plan to see it. I can't wait.
I'm waiting for the crowds to subside but I wouldn't miss it!
Funny that Sir Ian is the villian in two movies out right now. One has to wonder if they offered him a role in 'Over the Hedge'
going to see it Friday with the wife.
I couldn't go this weekend.
But my SIL loved it.
it was great, but screwing with the X-Men universe .... I dont know?
Yep,loved it!
The franchise is moving to a new studio, so Fox apparently wanted to trash it up so it'd be damaged goods for paramount or Universal, not sure which. But looking for continuity from comics to the movies is a waste of time. I don't want to see movies constrained by the "rules" of the comics, I want an alternate view of the material. Having said that, there's no way they could do justice to the Dark Phoenix cycle from my youth in one short movie.
Seeing the occassional comic book movie is the extent of my comic booking these days, and the movies are generally awful.
X-Men made more in one weekend than Bareback Monutain made in its full run..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.