Sony's
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 topped the Friday box office
with $35.5 million from 4,324 theaters for a projected North American
debut in the $92 million to $97 million range, according to studio
insiders.
The superhero sequel -- kicking off the summer season at the box
office -- earned an OK B+ CinemaScore from audiences, including an A-
among moviegoers under the age of 25.
Amazing-Spider Man 2, banking on a strong turnout from families on Saturday, hopes to best the recent $95 million opening of
Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Director
Marc Webb reteamed with stars
Andrew Garfield and
Emma Stone to make the $200 million-plus sequel, which features an array of new castmembers, including
Jamie Foxx as the villain Electro and
Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn, Spider-Man's friend turned nemesis.
Paul Giamatti plays Rhino, a third bad guy.
Comparisons to
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) are complicated
since that film opened Tuesday of Fourth of July week, taking in $137
million in its first six days, including $62 million for the weekend.
Amazing Spider-Man topped out at $752.2 million globally, successfully relaunching the marquee franchise post
Tobey Maguire.
Amazing Spider-Man 2 has already earned more $150 million
overseas, where it began rolling out two weeks ago. It opens in another
raft of markets this weekend, including in China on Sunday.
Summer almost always begins with a Marvel Comics superhero tentpole. In 2012, Marvel and Disney's
The Avengers netted
an astounding $207.4 million on its first weekend in May, the highest
opening of all time for any time of the year. Last year,
Iron Man 3 took in $174.1 million;
Thor grossed $65.7 million in 2011; and
X-Men Origins: Wolverine made $85.1 million in 2009.
Spider-Man 3, debuting to $151.1 million in 2007, is the No. 3 May opener of all time after
Avengers and
Iron Man 3.
No other movie dared premiere nationwide opposite
Amazing Spider-Man 2, but launching at the specialty box office is Fox Searchlight's British period drama
Belle, directed by
Amma Asante and starring
Gugu Mbatha-Raw,
Tom Wilkinson,
Miranda Richardson,
Penelope Wilton,
Matthew Goode and
Emily Watson.
Fox's femme-fueled comedy
The Other Woman is holding well in
its second weekend, grossing $4.8 million Friday from 3,238 theaters to
come in No. 2, and pushing its domestic total of $37.9 million.
Sony's Christian film
Heaven is for Real, placed No. 3 on its third Friday, grossing $2.4 million from 2,930 locations for a total $59 million.
Winter Soldier fell to No. 4, taking in $2.1 million from 3,179 theaters on its fifth Friday for a North American total of $231.5 million.
Fox's
Rio 2 crossed the $100 million on Friday, taking in
$1.7 million from 2,314 locations for domestic total of $100.6 million
and coming in No. 5.