X-Men 3 Has Fourth Biggest Opening of All Time
I contributed my $8.00 to the cause today. I’ll post a mini-review some time this week. As it turns out, a few other people went to the movie:
The opening, the biggest so far this year, also has surpassed those of the first two movies in the X-Men series. The first, X-Men had $54.5 million in sales when it opened in July 2000, and X2: X-Men United grossed $85.6 million in its opening weekend in May 2003.
How come? I’ve got no idea. After a lousy six or eight months of mainstream cinema, maybe people were desperate for a half-decent blockbuster?
In what can only be related news, Fox announced that there will indeed be a fourth (and possibly more) X-Men movie. Why not? The franchise is a license to print money. And, in truth, the comic book has a rich and lengthy history from which to draw characters and plot lines. When are they going to include my favourite X-man?
May 28th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
“The franchise is a license to print money.”
Which other movies with sequels fit in this category? I read an argument somewhere that even if George Lucas wasn’t director, the studios would be nuts not to create Star Wars Episodes VII, VIII, and IV.
May 29th, 2006 at 12:21 am
You got point here: franchise been invented for multiplying the income. As for the grand opening score of X3 - it’s simply better (and more showy) than X2, as X2 was better than X1 :) For blockbusters of course. The other thing is that this series of three sticks the most to Marvel’s universe (by picture and script) comparing to other ‘vel-origin pictures such as the Punisher (been waiting long time for this and got disappointed bad) or Daredevil.
May 29th, 2006 at 12:23 am
P.S. They missed some better X-man. Le Beau kix Longshot’s ass :)
May 29th, 2006 at 3:12 am
I can only guess that “X-Men” did so well only because it was the only new major movie on Memorial Day weekend, and because, well, people are sheep .. I adored the first two movies, but Ratner really blew it with this one .. just way too many mutants and unresolved story lines
May 29th, 2006 at 3:58 am
there is a good chance that all the unresolved story lines were just seeds for the next movie(s).
i am sure that we’ll be watching a wolverine solo movie before we see the next x-men, though. just like in the comics, they’re going to milk that character for all it is worth.
unrelated note: darren, is there a reason that your comment box is so small? is it to encourage short comments?
May 29th, 2006 at 6:12 am
I walked out of X-men 2 so lets just say its probably not my cup of tea, but hey, whatever floats your boat :)
I’ll get it from the barbain bin someday I’m sure. 5 to 8 euros or so, that seems reasonable.
ps. headlines like “n-th Biggest Opening of All Time” should really include the disclaimer “until the next blockbuster” ;)
May 29th, 2006 at 6:50 am
The X-Men 4 announcement is actually from back in January. Hugh Jackman has acknowledged that they’re working on drafts of a Wolverine movie too.
May 29th, 2006 at 6:52 am
Darren: couldn’t agree more. Longshot really deserves his own film, however…just too interesting to get lost in an ensemble picture. Let’s hope they don’t “retcon” him to any ridiculous degree.
May 29th, 2006 at 6:55 am
Celia: Quite right.
JD: No good reason. It was the default. I shall expand it a bit.
January 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
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