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 “X-Men” films have done increasingly well at the box office. The first film did $54.5 million in its opening weekend in 2000, while the second installment took in $85.6 million in its three-day opening in 2003.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations. Final figures will be released today.
Here’s how movies did at the box office this weekend:
1. “X-Men: The Last Stand,” $120.1 million.
2. “The Da Vinci Code,” 43 million.
3. “Over the Hedge,” $35.3 million
4. “Mission: Impossible III,” $8.6 million.
5. “Poseidon,” $7 million.
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