After narrowly earning the best midnight opening of any superhero movie this summer, “Captain America: The First Avenger” has another achievement in its sights–the best opening weekend for the genre in 2011.
Deadline reports early Friday tracking in the $26 million range for “Captain America” with $65 million-plus as a realistic weekend target. That would put it right in contention with “Thor,” the May release that garnered just under $66 million in its debut.
It also ranks well ahead of estimates, which were eyeing a bow more in the $55 million range. Even late adjustments based on positive reviews and gameday buzz were forecasting just $60 million.
Fellow new release “Friends with Benefits,” meanwhile, is set to land just in the low end of forecasts with a still-healthy $20 million for the weekend. The Deadline tracking says “Friends” will have earned about $7 million on Friday.
Reviewed far more favorably, “Friends” would top the opening weekend of “No Strings Attached” if it could stay on track for $20 million in its debut.
