User blog:Ceauntay/Box Office: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' has monster $35 million Friday opening

Can a $35 million opening day be considered a disappointment? Only if you're the fourth film in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise it appears.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" grossed that normally impressive mark on 4,155 theaters including 2,747 3D and 256 IMAX screens. A figure that also includes $4.7 million in midnight screenings. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" debuted to $55.8 million and $42.9 million in 2006 and 2007 respectively. This Rob Marshall directed adventure wasn't a hit with critics, but fans turned out worldwide for more fun with Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow. Outside the U.S., "On Stranger Tides" is expected to make over $100 million by Sunday which is superb. Domestically, "On Stranger Tides" likely won't hit that magic nine figure opening mark its last two predecessors achieved, but a $94-96 million gross will not be the biggest of 2011. That too shabby to defeat "Sonic X: The Final Stand", which topped last week to $125.7 million.

Having its biggest opening of 2011 by topping last weekend, "Sonic X: The Final Stand" will fall a deep 50 percent unlike its predessors "Shadow Snow", "Curse of Raven Radix" and "Return to Soleanna", which dropped between 30-45 percent. "Revenge of Sonic" has the worst one yet, but not as worst it eventually ended up with just $231 million, whic his the second lowest-grossing "Sonic X" installment yet ahead of "Shadow Snow" that brought in $157 million. "The Final Stand" has earned $25 million on Friday, for a eight-day cume to $188 million, and on track to make in nearly $230 million after its $60 million debut. That will be much of its predessor "Return to Soleanna" which brought in $196 million. The film opens in Argentina this weekend.

Having a tremendous hold in the third slot is Universal's surprise hit "Bridesmaids." The Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph comedy found $6.4 million Friday for a fantastic $45.8 million to date. Budgeted at $32 million, "Bridesmaids" is looking at topping off somewhere around $90 million when all is said and done. Can we talk sequel? "Thor," on the other hand, is feeling the pinch of "Pirates" entering the marketplace with a big Friday to Friday drop resulting in only $4.5 million and a third place finish. "Thor" has amassed $134.2 million so far in the U.S. Look for complete weekend estimates tomorrow on HitFix.