‘Wolverine’ Proves He Can Carry His Own-Box Office Results: May 1-3

Hugh Jackman's raged Wolverine started off the summer this weekend with the highly-anticipated X-Men Origins: Wolverine. And if there's one thing we learned these past 2 days, it's that online pirating of movies doesn't necessarily mean bad box office results. On Wolverine's opening day, Friday, May 1^st, it grossed an estimated $35 million on 8, 300 screens at 4, 099 locations. That's the 16^th largest gross ever. But overall, it managed to rake in an estimated $87 million. Damn!

Compared to past summer season first days, X-Men Origins came in fourth behind Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man and Iron Man (which made an epic $35.2 million its first day, plus $3.5 million Thursday night previews). Not adding increased ticket price cost, Wolverine did better than X2: X-Men United, which swept in $31.2 million on its first Friday.

The risk-taking Ghost of Girlfriends Past with Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner grossed more than Dr. McDreamy's Made of Honor last year, coming in at #2 to X-Men Origins with $15.3 million. It did relatively worse than comparative Failure to Launch and Fools Gold, though.

In other opening weekend news, LionsGate's animated Battle for Terra didn't even make the top 10. Or top 11, for that matter. Debuting at #12, Terra grossed a mere $1 million. It's one of the worst openings for an animated feature ever. However, opening day it made double what Delgo did. Still, I know a failure. Obviously no match for Monsters vs. Aliens, which in its 6^th week came in fifth place with $5.8 million. It still manages to be the highest-grossing film so far this year.

Last weekend's chart-topper Obsessed starring Beyoncé Knowles and Ali Larter finished in third place behind Girlfriends Past and drummed up $12.2 million. Down 45% was 17 Again, this weekend at #4 with $6.3 million. The Soloist also fell from last weekend. At 2, 033 theaters, Soloist dropped 42% to sixth place with $5.6 million.

Fighting also fell some to eighth place and grossed $4.2 million.

Here are the estimated box office results from Friday to Sunday-

1. X-Men Origins: Wolverine…$87 million
   
2. Ghost of Girlfriends Past…$15.3 million
   
3. Obsessed…$12.2 million
   
4. 17 Again…$6.3 million
   
5. Monsters vs. Aliens…$5.8 million
   
6. The Soloist…$5.6 million
   
7. Earth (2009)…$4.2 million
   
8. Fighting…$4.1 million
   
9. Hannah Montana: The Movie…$4 million
   
10. State of Play…$3.7 million