"G.I. Joe: Retaliation" was delayed for nearly a year while Paramount reportedly beefed up Channing Tatum's role and outfitted the picture in 3D.
The long wait did little to stifle audience enthusiasm. The sequel to the toy-based tale kicked off the Easter weekend by grossing $10.5 million on Thursday. It's on track to bring in $45 million over the holiday.
That's an impressive haul, although it falls short of the $54.7 million take of the first film in the series, 2009's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra." That picture went on to make $302.4 million worldwide, despite vituperative reviews.
Critics were not much more enamored with this installment, with "Retaliation" earning an anemic 30 percent "rotten" ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.