Spider-Man 3: Widest Release...EVER

[Cmill216]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117964069.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Sony is bringing "Spider-Man 3" to 4,253 domestic theaters on Friday, the widest opening of all time.

North America is the last territory to see Spidey. Pic launches May 1 in more than a dozen key territories, including Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Korea; another eight on May 2; 30 on May 3 (including China, Australia and Russia) and another 30 on May 4 (including the U.K. and India).

The domestic engagements could be tweaked by a few screens more or less, but should comfortably beat the 4,163 locations where "Shrek II" bowed for DreamWorks two years ago.

Sony launched "Spider-Man 2" at 4,152 in 2004.

Only other pics to have debuted in more than 4,000 locations include "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "Madagascar," "Superman Returns," "Over the Hedge," "Mission: Impossible 3" and "Shark Tale." All of those have been released since 2004 as Hollywood's race to put up massive opening numbers escalates.

After eight splashy premieres worldwide, Sony on Monday night made its final preem Stateside, showing "Spider-Man 3" on 14 screens simultaneously at the Tribeca Film Festival.

At the preem party in Gotham, Sony Corp. chairman and CEO Howard Stringer wondered whether the studio might've shot out "Spider-Man" last weekend in North America when overall biz was way down, giving Peter Parker even more of a chance to make his money grab.

But either way, the exec was confident, saying that he sees this installment in the series as "more of a date movie" than the first two in the franchise with the potential to draw even wider demographics.

"It's not just spills and thrills," said Stringer.

"Spider-Man" will be the first of a number of hotly anticipated summer sequels to swing into theaters, and the pic has two weekends with no true competish before having to grapple with Par/DreamWorks' "Shrek the Third" May 18. Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" sets sail the following weekend.

Auds certainly seem ready for some summer action: Last weekend, the multiplexes posted tepid numbers as Par-DreamWorks' PG-13 thriller "Disturbia" topped the charts with just $9 million in its third straight win.

"This is a great way to start the summer," said a Sony distribution honcho of "Spider-Man's" imminent launch. "Box office for the past few weeks has been lackluster, and audiences seem very ready for summer."

Sony has been adding 12:01 Friday ayem shows here to meet demand on the pic.

 

[TripXyDE]

yeah... we here at the Third World saw Spider-man 3 YESTERDAY
( i have YET to finish up my review)
the movie opened here in the Philippines yesterday, May 1, which was a holiday
lovely day to watch a movie

i may watch it again this weekend

 

[Peter B. Parker]

I have no doubt that this movie will break the three-day weekend record.

 

[smpinoy]

yeah... we here at the Third World saw Spider-man 3 YESTERDAY
( i have YET to finish up my review)
the movie opened here in the Philippines yesterday, May 1, which was a holiday
lovely day to watch a movie

i may watch it again this weekend

cool to see one of my country men in the boards...the Sm3 was also the widest release in the Philippines. After just 5 hours it earned 21 million pesos that already 2/3 of the highest gross for an opening day(set by SM2).

 

[Drizzle]

I have no doubt that this movie will break the three-day weekend record.

Yeah, especially since it's playing at virtually every theater in the country, on more than one screen for each theater. My theater has got three screens booked for it, maybe four if crowds get really big, since that's what happened to them with "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". It may not be uncommon for theaters to do that.

 

[lordofthenerds]

With a theater count like this, it better beat POTC 2's three-day opening record.

 

[Mar420x]

widest releases=most likely 2 hit the internet b4 the end of week..

 

[Jasmine]

I have no doubt that this movie will break the three-day weekend record.

Hope so!

 

[TripXyDE]

cool to see one of my country men in the boards...the Sm3 was also the widest release in the Philippines. After just 5 hours it earned 21 million pesos that already 2/3 of the highest gross for an opening day(set by SM2).

oi pre...
welcome to the hype!

 

[Mr. Socko]

Yeah looks like we could be breaking the opening weekend record.

 

[Visionary]

I have no doubt that this movie will break the three-day weekend record.

I don't know about breaking Pirates 2's 135M (that's a damn tall order), however, it should beat SM1's 114M, maybe.

 

[Donald Thomas]

I don't know about breaking Pirates 2's 135M (that's a damn tall order), however, it should beat SM1's 114M, maybe.

Aloha,
Oh yea of little faith!!!You of all people, should know that Spidey 3 will break ALL RECORDS within the month of May.Tall order? Spidey eats tall orders for breakfast.
Spidey rules with fans who see the movie MULTIPLE TIMES

 

[Cmill216]

I don't know about breaking Pirates 2's 135M (that's a damn tall order), however, it should beat SM1's 114M, maybe.

The consensus right now amongst actual box office analysts and trackers is that it's a 95% lock to break the record.

 

[War Party]

Yeah, the opening weekend is looking to be huge. I can't wait to bring my 10 year old cousin to see this movie. He's going to love it.

 

[superherofan777]

is there any footage from the sm3 premiere in Tokyo online?

If so, post a link!!!

 

[Visionary]

The consensus right now amongst actual box office analysts and trackers is that it's a 95% lock to break the record.

Are these words verily?

 

[Cmill216]

Are these words verily?

Absolutely. Not many people (from veteran posters over on the BOM forums to boxofficereport.com and boxofficeguru.com) are predicting that it won't.

 

[Weadazoid]

I say 150 to 160 Million in 3 days

 

[Retroman]

It's playing in 110 theaters here and the multiplex we went to see it was pretty full.When we were left people we saw people lining up to catch the next screening. So i think it's going to do great here.

 

[psylockolussus]

Good job Sony!