Fifty Shades of Grey pulled in $8.6 million at Thursday midnight screenings, and now has an estimated $30.2 million take against its $40 million budget, and Universal is smiling all the way to the bank. That Thursday midnight total is the best-ever for Universal (beating Fast & Furious 6‘s $6.5 million), and the second-highest ever for an R-rated film ($10.4 million for The Hangover Part II).
If Fifty Shades performs the same way as recent blockbusters that have had similar Thursday takes ($8.75 million for Transformers: Age of Extinction; $8.1 million for x-Men: Days of Future Past), then it will wind up near $100 million for the weekend. It may wind up being extremely top-heavy, like a Twilight movie, and drop significantly over Valentine’s Day, though the former scenario seems likely. Either way, despite terrible reviews, Universal has a hit on their hands.
READ OUR REVIEW: Fifty Shades of Grey: An Abhorrent & Misogynistic Rape Fantasy
Providing the action-lover’s counter-programming, Kingsman: The Secret Service bowed with $1.4 million at the Thursday midnight shows, on par with Taken 3‘s $1.5 million Thursday take in January. Its estimated total after Friday is $10.5 million, a decent start for the action film that has earned largely positive reviews and good word-of-mouth.
READ OUR REVIEW: Kingsman: The Secret Service: Everything Looks Better in a Suit
Fox is hoping they have an entertaining film that will have some legs. A $30-plus million opening weekend will be a good showing, given the competition.
via Box Office Mojo