Disappointment should have been expected giving the franchise’s momentum decline when the third film came out and due to the feeling that the latest installment was “forced,” but many were still expecting “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” to deliver at the weekend box office.
But while it remains an overseas force and is certainly bringing in a ton of money domestically, it will not be a spectacular performer this weekend.
Including midnight screenings and benefiting from 3D and IMAX showings, the latest “Pirates” opened to just $35 million at the domestic box office Friday, which suggests an opening weekend in the $87-90 million range. The question now appears not whether “Pirates” will reach the expected $100 million tally but whether it will still outpace “Fast Five” for the best opening gross year-to-date. That film made just over $86 million in its first outing last month.
Previous film “At World’s End” wrote more than $42 million in its first Friday for an opening weekend in the $115 million territory.
— Elsewhere, well-reviewed “Bridesmaids” held up very well, dropping less than 20% from its first Friday performance for $6.4 million in receipts. It led “Thor” ($4.4 million), “Fast Five” ($3.2 million) and “Priest” ($1.5 million) in the top five.