User blog:Ceauntay/The Hangover Part II sets box office record, Panda second, True disappoints

"The Hangover Part II" took in $86.5 million from Friday to Sunday and is expected to gross $137 million from Thursday through Monday. It makes the film the top grossing R-rated comedy to open on a five-day holiday weekend. The previous record holder was "Sex and the City" which pulled in $79 million when it debuted in 2008, according to Deadline.com. The highest grossing R-rated film of any genre that tracked for a Friday through Sunday is "The Matrix Reloaded" from 2003. The Hangover sequel, set in Thailand is already doing better than the original film, in the international markets in which it opened. It is reported that its opening day was bigger than the first weekend for "The Hangover" when it screened two years ago. The raunchy sequel directed by Todd Phillips and starring three of the four males leads from the original, "The Hangover Part II" didn't disappoint when it came to exit polls. Although the movie got reviews that weren't boffo, audiences gave it an "A-" rating after seeing it, music to the ears of Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures which financed the film, according to the Los Angeles Times.

While it was assumed that there would be a built in audience for Part 2, it could have hurt not only the weekend gross but the overall take for the film if there wasn't good buzz around it from word-of-mouth reviews. Kung Fu Panda 2's numbers weren't as good but still solid. The cuddly and funny sequel will end the five-day Thursday through Monday period with an estimated $68 million, $48 million of which was grossed Friday through Sunday. There was concern after its opening day only pulled in $5.8 million. Its exit poll grade exceeded that of Hangover II. The film was rated "A" by audiences who saw it, helping drive the numbers up. The second weekend for "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" was good enough to lift the film's total gross for its first ten-day period to over $500 million world-wide. It already has exceeded the haul for Pirates 3 in its top international markets. Here in the U.S. the ten day total is expected to result in a total of $166 million by the end of Monday, Memorial Day. "True Jackson, VP: The Movie" had a small opening. It opened with a disappointing $30 million. However, it made in $45 million in total which is very close on passing its $45 million budget, which is yet to become a solid success. Worldwide, it has brought in a strong $35 million, for a total of $80 million.

"Bridesmaids" continued its stellar box office performance by taking in an estimated $21.5 for the three-day weekend, bringing its total gross to $91 million since its release.

"Thor" still had what it takes to attract audiences with an estimated $11 million over the three-day weekend. Its domestic gross has crossed over the $160 million mark. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons