'MATRIX' SEQUEL RELOADS INDUSTRY RECORD BOOKS.Byline: Greg GREG Great Egg Harbor National Scenic and Recreational River (US National Park Service) Hernandez Staff WriterBox office sensation ``The Matrix: Reloaded'' surpassed ``Spider-Man'' to claim the biggest opening week ever and has reached the $150 million mark faster than any other movie in history, Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . announced Thursday Thursday: see week. . The blockbuster block·bust·er n. 1. Something, such as a film or book, that sustains widespread popularity and achieves enormous sales. 2. A high-explosive bomb used for demolition purposes. 3. sequel to 1999's ``The Matrix'' had earned $151.9 million through Tuesday Tuesday: see week. , its sixth full day of release. That was enough to inch past the $151.6 million earned last year by ``Spider-Man'' during its first week in U.S. theaters. ``This was the most anticipated movie of the year and numbers like that bear that out,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. ``For that many tickets to have been sold in one week sets a new standard and raises the bar on how a blockbuster is capable of performing in its first week.'' ``Reloaded'' earned $5 million during thousands of 10 p.m. preview showings May 14, then brought in an additional $6.3 million Wednesday, and has taken in a cumulative gross of $158.2 million to date. Warner Bros. Distribution President Dan Fellman places the official seven-day total at $157.6 million. Since ``Reloaded'' had preview showings last week, Fellman deducted de·duct v. de·duct·ed, de·duct·ing, de·ducts v.tr. 1. To take away (a quantity) from another; subtract. 2. To derive by deduction; deduce. v.intr. the approximately $625,000 earned from 10 p.m. showings this Wednesday. ``That's apples to apples and that is the new benchmark,'' Fellman said. ``The film is performing even beyond our own expectations.'' During its Friday-through-Sunday showings, ``Reloaded'' earned a whopping $91.8 million. This set a record for the biggest opening weekend ever for an R-rated film, surpassing 2001's ``Hannibal,'' which opened with a gross of $58 million but came in behind the $114.8 million record opening for ``Spider-Man.'' But ``Reloaded'' has since managed to best the four-day and first-week grosses for ``Spider-Man.'' It also beat last year's web-slinging box office champ to the $150 million mark by reaching that milestone in its sixth day of release. ``Reloaded'' heads into the Memorial Day weekend - one of the busiest moviegoing periods of the year - as the film to beat. It will face off against the comedies ``Bruce Bruce, Scottish royal family descended from an 11th-century Norman duke, Robert de Brus. He aided William I in his conquest of England (1066) and was given lands in England. Almighty'' and ``The In-Laws.'' |
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