Deadpool debuted to $132.7 million domestic over the weekend and is projected to finish with $150 million for the four-day Presidents Day holiday. Overseas, it launched to an amazing $125 million. In short, Deadpool flat out obliterated pretty much every record for a movie of its type (R-rated) and release window (February).
Pause for a moment to think of this, though: when was the last time that a movie came out and broke either every box office record imaginable or a bunch of records specific to its type (genre/rating) and release period (specific month or season of the year)?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens and, before that, Jurassic World, obviously. However, Straight Outta Compton, Inside Out, Furious 7 and Fifty Shades of Grey also set a bunch of records last year too.
When was the last time a comic book movie did that? Not Ant-Man. Definitely not Fantastic Four. Not even really Avengers: Age of Ultron, which was a huge deal overseas but was a consistent second-place finisher to the first Avengers in all of the domestic records. No, the last time a comic book movie came out and caused analysts to declare “No movie has ever done this kind of business at this time of the year” it was Guardians of the Galaxy in August 2014. For over a year other types of movies have claimed box office supremacy, but Deadpool is a reminder that if you build and market the right kind of superhero movie they will come in record numbers (and now I’m imagining Deadpool making a sexual pun based on the “they will come” part of that sentence).
As a reminder, Deadpool made $132.7m in North America this weekend, and $150m for the four-day weekend. Here are the notable records it set:
Biggest opening for an R-rated film — North America
Beating: The Matrix Reloaded’s $91.8m debut in May 2003. That adjusts to $132.4m at current ticket prices.
Biggest opening for an R-rated comic book adaptation — North America
Beating: 300′s $70m debut in March 2007. That adjusts to $89.6m at current ticket prices.
Biggest Fox Opening — North America
Beating: Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith’s $108.4m debut in May 2005. That adjusts to $147.1m at current ticket prices.
Biggest Feature Directorial Debut — North America
Beating: Elizabeth Banks’ Pitch Perfect 2 ($69.2m) from last year. Deadpool‘s director Tim Miller previously worked as a second unit director on Thor: The Dark World and a creative supervisor on Kick-Ass.
Biggest Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day — North America
Beating: Fifty Shades of Grey‘s $85.2m for three-day holiday/$93m for the four days last year
Biggest January/February Opening — North America
Beating: American Sniper’s $89.3m debut from last January, and Fifty Shades of Grey’s $85.2m from last February
Biggest Thursday night for an R-rated film — North America
Deadpool‘s $12.7m topped The Hangover: Part II’s $10.4m from Memorial Day eve in 2011.
Biggest Friday for an R-rated film
Deadpool‘s $47.5m Friday easily bested American Sniper‘s record $30.3m Friday
Biggest Single Day in February History
Deadpool‘s $47.5m Friday trounced Fifty Shades of Grey‘s $36.7m from last Valentine’s Day to take the record for biggest single day in February history. In fact, Deadpool‘s Saturday ($42.5m) and Sunday ($45m) also bested Fifty Shades of Grey‘s best day.
Biggest Russian Debut — International
Deadpool’s $12.4 million beat Star Wars: The Force Awakens to nab the top opening ever in Russia. Also overseas, the movie marked Fox’s top opening in 13 markets, including Australia ($10 million) and Taiwan ($8.3 million). And Deadpool scored the biggest opening for a film with the equivalent of an R rating in 11 territories, including the Philippines ($2.8 million).
Biggest Imax 2D and R-rated Opening — Global
Imax theaters contributed an estimated $28 million of the film’s worldwide opening to score the biggest start ever for an R-rated title. It’s also the biggest 2D opening of all time for Imax, eclipsing The Dark Knight Rises ($23.8 million). Imax theaters in North America contributed $19 million.
Biggest PLF R-rated Opening — North America
Premium large format screens took in $17.6 million for the three-day weekend, the top showing ever for an R-rated title. American Sniper was the previous record holder ($8.7 million).
Source: THR
