The box office is exploding this weekend as pent up demand for blockbusters has thoroughly been satisfied with Hollywood’s latest offerings. Both Prometheus and Madagascar are overperforming at this time with the earliest of numbers showing the former on track for as much as $68 million thanks to what could turn out to be a $26 million Friday. This of course includes the $3.6 million taken in from midnight showings–a precursor to this stellar theatrical gross.
Needless to say, this would be Ridley Scott’s biggest opening of his career, surpassing 2001′s Hannibal which debuted to $58 million. I should note that Fox is not yet sold on that $68 million figure for Prometheus yet as the studio suspects that only $56 million is a certainty at this point in time.
As for the other big movie from the weekend, Madagascar 3 looks to be capitalizing on the end of the school year with a potential $18 million Friday that could lead to a $57 million weekend. While this is south of the $63.1 million debut for the series’ last outing four years ago, it seems like a minimal drop-off is in the cards inferring the franchise still has legs to carry it forward.
[Deadline]