Iron Man 2 Defeats Weekend Box Office

Everyone knew Iron Man 2 would win out this weekend, but by how much? Would it do outpace the original (which some argued was better) or maybe even break The Dark Knight‘s record? The estimates are in, so see the full chart and find out after the break.

2008’s Iron Man made $98.6 million its first weekend, while that same year The Dark Knight set the weekend record with $158.4 million. This year, Iron Man 2 finished right in the middle with $133.6 million, giving it the 5th best opening ever. It’s Friday take of $52.3 million gave it the 7th best single day in box office history. Of course, these are estimates, so there could be some slight changes.


Either way, the much anticipated sequel is a success so far, with over $326 million in worldwide grosses. However, each day this weekend the tally dropped, as opposed to the original Iron Man, where Saturday made more than Friday. This could mean a more rapid drop next weekend, especially since the reviews were slightly below the original. Iron Man dropped 48.1% in its second week, and with a higher total to fall from, Iron Man 2 could drop close to 60%. Fortunately, there’s not much competition right now, with the only notable opening next weekend is Universal’s Robin Hood. Though the Ridley Scott film has a major star and a recognizable story, the buzz has been luke warm, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most people in their target demographic just go see Iron Man 2 again.


Here is the top 10 estimates for the weekend of May 7th:

1. Iron Man 2 – $134M
2. A Nightmare on Elm Street – $9.17M
3. How to Train Your Dragon – $6.76M
4. Date Night – $5.3M
5. The Back-up Plan – $4.34M
6. Furry Vengeance – $4M
7. Clash of the Titans – $2.31M
8. Death at a Funeral – $2.1M
9. The Losers – $1.8M
10. Babies – $1.58M


Source: Box Office Mojo