Pirates 2 Shatters Box Office Records

Miss Vicky · #1 07-09-2006, 01:22 PM

Depp marks the spot as `Pirates' sequel lands record $132 million
By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer

Sunday, July 9, 2006

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/09/entertainment/e100827D39.DTL

(07-09) 10:08 PDT Los Angeles (AP) --

Johnny Depp's boozy, woozy buccaneer Jack Sparrow has plundered the box office as "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" took in a record $132 million in its first three days, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Disney's swashbuckling sequel sailed past the previous all-time best debut, 2002's "Spider-Man," which took in $114.8 million in its first weekend.

"Dead Man's Chest" also did nearly three times the business of its predecessor, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which took in $46.6 million over opening weekend in 2003.

The sequel surpassed that total in its first day alone, taking in $55.5 million Friday to beat the previous single-day record of $50 million set last year by "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith." With $44.7 million on Saturday, "Dead Man's Chest" also became the first movie to top $100 million in just two days.

Despite sky-high projections for the "Pirates" sequel from industry analysts, producer Jerry Bruckheimer said he had expected "Dead Man's Chest" would open closer to the $77 million debut weekend of last spring's "The Da Vinci Code."

"When people in the industry predicted these high numbers, I thought they were just trying to be mean. So no matter how good we did, if we did $100 million, we'd be failures," Bruckheimer told The Associated Press on Sunday. "I didn't think we'd get near these numbers."

The movie sent Hollywood's overall business soaring. The top-12 films grossed $206.5 million, up 48 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Fantastic Four" opened with $56.1 million.

"Dead Man's Chest" raked in nearly double the total of the rest of the top-12 combined. The previous weekend's top film, "Superman Returns," fell to No. 2 with $21.85 million, down 58 percent from opening weekend.

"Superman Returns" has grossed $141.7 million in 12 days and should fly past the $200 million mark, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., which released the film.

The sci-fi tale of drug addiction, "A Scanner Darkly," debuted strongly in limited release with $406,000 in 17 theaters. Shot in live action then painted over with digital animation, the movie stars Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Robert Downey Jr. in a hallucinatory tale adapted from Philip K. Dick's novel.

In a single weekend, "Dead Man's Chest" reeled in 43 percent of the $305 million total domestic gross the original "Pirates" rang up in its entire six-month theatrical run.

The movie's audience was equally divided between males and females, and it drew strongly among all age groups, according to Disney.

"It is straight across the board," said Chuck Viane, head of distribution for Disney, which based the movies on its "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme-park ride. "Everybody's coming. Whoever it is, they're there."

Even factoring in higher admission prices since 2002, "Dead Man's Chest" still set a record of just under 20 million tickets sold, about 200,000 more than "Spider-Man."

"Maybe the only movie that has a chance to beat this record might be the next `Pirates,' movie," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Audiences won't have to wait long. Disney shot much of the third installment at the same time as "Dead Man's Chest," which ends in a cliffhanger leading into part three, due in theaters over Memorial Day weekend next year.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," $132 million.

2. "Superman Returns," $21.85 million.

3. "The Devil Wears Prada," $15.6 million.

4. "Click," $12 million.

5. "Cars," $10.3 million.

6. "Nacho Libre," $3.3 million.

7. "The Lake House," $2.8 million.

8. "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift," $2.5 million.

9. "Waist Deep," $1.9 million.

10. "The Break-Up," $1.6 million.

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irishgrl · #2 07-09-2006, 02:13 PM

Man, I wish I could afford to go to the movies, I'd SO be THERE! I finally saw the first one, Curse of the Black Pearl last weekend when my friend came up to visit and I can understand the appeal! I just LOVE Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow! whats more, I think HE loves Jack Sparrow too (if the Rolling Stone article is any indication!) Its a good fit

Miss Vicky · #3 07-09-2006, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishgrl

Man, I wish I could afford to go to the movies, I'd SO be THERE! I finally saw the first one, Curse of the Black Pearl last weekend when my friend came up to visit and I can understand the appeal!

I went to the midnight showing of Pirates 2 on Thursday. My local theater had it on 4 screens and all were sold out. Thankfully I bought my tickets online the day before or I never would have been able to get in.

I thought it was a very funny movie. It definitely has some laugh out loud funny scenes and was well worth the ticket price, though I didn't like it as much as the first one and at over 2 1/2 hours in length it was just too damn long. I was thrilled with the little surprise at the end and am definitely looking forward to number 3, which is due out next May.

strandinthewind · #4 07-09-2006, 08:11 PM

I liked it. It was a little long in the fight sequences, but it was god fluffy fun!!!!

tuigirl · #5 07-10-2006, 12:40 AM

We'll def be going, but wer'e gonna let the fever die down a bit first!! ha.
I'm really surprised there's yet another Superman movie ( theyr'e all the same aren't they?) whereas Prirates really is quite "new" and different. Johnnys Jack Sparrow is now an icon (like Darth and indeed your supermans, and spidermans). My kids had a pirate day at school last week and guess what one of them went as.......

strandinthewind · #6 07-10-2006, 09:45 AM

And - might I add that Jack Sparrow is the gayest thing I have ever seen - and believe me that is saying a mouthful!

DavidMn · #7 07-10-2006, 01:23 PM

I found it to be slightly darker than the first one, but highly entertaining nonetheless.

AliceLover · #8 07-10-2006, 01:45 PM

I decided to go and buy the Pirates of the Carribean DVD at Best buy for 15 dollars because it came with a free ticket to see the sequel. But after seeing the original I have no desire to see the second. IMO Pirates of the Carribbean SUCKED, badly. Maybe the new one is better. But hey lets talk about more bad movies SUPERMAN...good god this movie dragged and dragged. It was 3 f**kin hours long...I was going crazy. The only good part of that movie was Parker Posey. Kate Bosworth is annoying lol. ok done.

cliffdweller · #9 07-10-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliceLover

But hey lets talk about more bad movies SUPERMAN...good god this movie dragged and dragged.

I have not heard one good review of this movie yet. I love superhero movies so I'm REALLY surprised that I have no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie. It does nothing for me, and that guy who plays Superman is hot, but still, zip, zilch, nada, nothing.

Speaking of superhero movies, I still need to see X-Men III!

Pirates? Meh. Johnny Depp rocks though. I love the man.

hayley · #10 07-10-2006, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

I have not heard one good review of this movie yet. I love superhero movies so I'm REALLY surprised that I have no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie. It does nothing for me, and that guy who plays Superman is hot, but still, zip, zilch, nada, nothing.

Speaking of superhero movies, I still need to see X-Men III!

Pirates? Meh. Johnny Depp rocks though. I love the man.

I liked Superman a lot, but agree that it was too long. Everyone loved Parker Posey in it but she was actually the part of the movie that bugged me the most- and I love Parker, from way back when in Party Girl and whatnot.

I would recommend it, though. I mean, it was fun, the effects were great. I thought it was a hell of a lot better than X-Men III.

I'm seeing Pirates next weekend, I think. I hate nothing more than a packed theatre. Yucky. Getting elbowed and the back of your chair kicked and cell phones going off. Turns me into a crotchety old woman.

cliffdweller · #11 07-10-2006, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayley

I thought it was a hell of a lot better than X-Men III.

Oh yeah? I've heard mixed reviews of X-MenIII, plus I hear it's very Halle Berry heavy. Eewww. In that case I'll probably wait for it on DVD

.

AliceLover · #12 07-10-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hayley

I liked Superman a lot, but agree that it was too long. Everyone loved Parker Posey in it but she was actually the part of the movie that bugged me the most- and I love Parker, from way back when in Party Girl and whatnot.

I would recommend it, though. I mean, it was fun, the effects were great. I thought it was a hell of a lot better than X-Men III.

I'm seeing Pirates next weekend, I think. I hate nothing more than a packed theatre. Yucky. Getting elbowed and the back of your chair kicked and cell phones going off. Turns me into a crotchety old woman.

Her role really didn't do much...She was a lot better in Scream 3 and Best in Show (LOL). I always love watching her movies...And did you see the Pepsi commercial?!?!??! hahahah Loved it!

I got a free ticket to see Pirates 2 so i might as well go. Whenever I go to the movies I always make sure I get a rail seat. With this, I can put up my feet on a rail and not be kicked.

AliceLover · #13 07-10-2006, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

I have not heard one good review of this movie yet. I love superhero movies so I'm REALLY surprised that I have no interest whatsoever in seeing this movie. It does nothing for me, and that guy who plays Superman is hot, but still, zip, zilch, nada, nothing.

Speaking of superhero movies, I still need to see X-Men III!

Pirates? Meh. Johnny Depp rocks though. I love the man.

Johnny was good in it I thought. I really love his get up, everytime they panned to him I always made notice of it. The movie just didn't have a good storyline IMO. I dunno, maybe i had too high expectations, but I thought it bit the big one.