“Man of Steel,” the latest “Superman” reboot, is poised for a very strong debut at the weekend box office.
Multiple sources say the film could earn as much as $50 million Friday, which would put “Man of Steel” on track for an opening weekend in the $120 million range. If all holds, “Steel” will deliver the year’s second-best opening weekend, behind only the dominant “Iron Man 3.”
Even though the studio was conservative in its expectations, the industry long expected to be a major player this summer, and “Man of Steel” solidified its heat with a strong promotional debut Thursday. The reboot earned $12 million from the Wal-Mart screenings at 7PM and then an additional $9 million at midnight.
The weekend’s second place position will likely belong to “This is the End,” which should build upon its $12.3 million Wednesday and Thursday total with another $20 million or so from Friday through Sunday.