Mutants at war kicked butt and took names this weekend setting a very high bar for this summer's blockbuster releases (Superman Returns could be in for a very rough ride). At $103 million for the 3 day weekend ($120 million over the 4 day Memorial Weekend holiday), X-Men: The Last Stand is the number one opening weekend film so far this year and has Hollywood all shook up. Three things immediately came to my mind when I saw how well Wolverine and company had performed at the ticket counter.
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1. This summer could be far hotter at the movies than anyone expected.Mission: Impossible III's whimper of an opening weekend hinted that this summer might be shaping up as a repeat of last year's box office tail spin. X-Men has turned that idea on its head. It suggests to me that other largely anticipated summer flicks like Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest stand to do very well indeed.
2. There's still room at the box office for the big budget blockbusters. When predictions for the third X-Men movie were rolling out, I didn't hear a single person mention anything near triple digits. Instead it took in $120 million which is phenomenal, even for a four day holiday weekend. Even with a huge $210 million budget the comic book action flick will easily turn a pretty profit, especially when you consider its significant international following. Who cares if George Lucas thinks the day of big budget blockbuster moviemaking has past. Just because he's through with his magnum opus doesn't mean the rest of the world is going to call it quits.
3. The X-Men franchise may not be as dead as we were being led to believe. Sure, Fox may have said this was the last time around, but nothing sounds like "sequel" to a studio exec's ears more than the cha-ching of a massive opening weekend. Critics have been complaining that this third film doesn't live up to the quality of its two predecessors (I tend to agree), but there's no room to argue status when it comes to numbers. The first X-Men movie garnered $54 million its opening weekend and X-2: X-Men United topped that with $86 million. This third installment takes top honors at $103 million. Combine that progressive increase in success with Ratner's wily ways of keeping the storyline open and you can practically smell a fourth movie on its way. Whether or not that's a good thing is something for another discussion.
Over The Hedge managed its own brand of success as well. After taking a strong second place opening last weekend against Da Vinci Code, it held onto its audience this week, only dropping 8% (most movies drop 40% - 60% in their second weekend). It may have huge competition, but Hedge is still the best thing out there for the family set and with a three day weekend to fill up those families are giving the animated cuddlies a warm box office hug.
Next weekend Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn hit the screen with Break Up. It may be the only wide release film opening next weekend but it faces some serious residual competition from the mutants. X2 stayed at the number one spot for two weeks and X3 looks strong enough to do the same.
