“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” swooped down on the box office Thursday night, taking in a strong $8.7 million, according to studio estimates.
Sony’s Marvel superhero sequel is kicking off the summer movie season and will be more than 3,420 theaters nationwide starting Friday. Analysts are projecting it will take in $95 million over the blockbuster season’s first weekend, which has served as the launch pad for the huge openings of Marvel’s “The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3.”
The Thursday haul for “Amazing Spider-Man 2” is better than the $7.5 million that “Amazing Spider-Man” managed in 2012, but didn’t match “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which brought in $10.2 million in early screenings in April. Sony’s hoping the web-slinger plays more strongly with family crowds over the weekend.
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Spidey’s Thursday is comparable to other recent superhero releases such as “Man Of Steel,” which picked up $9 million for Thursday shows and “Thor: The Dark World,” which earned $8.8 million. It falls short of the $15.6 million that “Iron Man 3” earned in its initial Thursday run and the $18.7 million in midnight shows that “The Avengers” generated.
The PG-13 comic book adventure stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and features Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti and Dane DeHaan. Marc Webb returns to direct, from a script by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Jeff Pinkner. Marvel Entertainment’s Avi Arad produces, along with Orci and Kurtzman.
Sony is hoping the webslinger can flex his muscles in the U.S. and Canada this weekend as he has overseas, where “Amazing Spider-Man 2” has already brought in more than $155 million. It opens in China and Brazil and roughly 40 other foreign markets this weekend.
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Domestically, it should easily top the three-day total of 2012’s “Amazing Spider-Man,” which opened to $65 million and went on to take in $262 million and more than $752 million worldwide.
That film recharged the franchise and Sony has set up two more “Amazing Spider-Man” movies, for 2016 and 2018, and is developing spin-off films “Sinister Six” and “Venom.”