Movie

The R-rated antihero movie opens to record-shattering $135 million on Valentine's Day/Presidents Day weekend.

• Feb 15, 2016

AceShowbiz - Box office has a new champion. "Deadpool" rules the North American chart with record-setting $135 million in its debut over the Valentine's Day/Presidents Day weekend. It marks the biggest R-rated opening, beating "The Matrix Reloaded" which opened with $91.8 million in 2003.

It becomes the biggest February weekend, surpassing the $85.2 million garnered by "Fifty Shades of Grey" in 2015. It also beats the erotic movie ($93 million) for the biggest President's Day four-day weekend. The Tim Miller-directed action movie is predicted to gross $150 million over the full four-day holiday weekend.

This achievement is rare considering the R-rating. " 'Deadpool' just kept going up and up. Obliterating expectations just doesn't cover this," says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore tracking service. "And rather than hurting, the R-rating actually helped. It made the film an edgy, must-see superhero event."

"Deadpool" also performs well overseas, with $125 million from 61 markets, besting "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". It raked in $20.1 million in the U.K., and has the biggest opening of all time in Russia with $12.4 million.

Fox domestic distribution chief Chris Aronson comments, " 'Deadpool' is wildly creative and new, and that's what audiences want. I think a lot of credit goes to [Fox CEO] Jim Gianopulos for having the courage to make this movie."

"Deadpool" great opening, however, isn't followed by fellow newcomer and the heavily promoted "Zoolander 2". The long-awaited sequel to the 2001 comedy grosses an estimated $15.6 million for the three-day weekend, landing at No. 4 on the domestic chart.

Jeff Bock, box office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, says, "There wasn't any room in the media or the national conversation for anything other than 'Deadpool'." It doesn't help that the movie starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson received a C+ CinemaScore.

Another new release, "How to Be Single", debuts at No. 3 with approximately $18.7 million. Last week's champion "Kung Fu Panda 3" drops one spot to No. 2 with additional $19.6 million (dropping 7.5|percent|). Rounding out the top 5, "The Revenant" also remains solid with an estimated $6.9 million, only dropping 0.6|percent| from last week.

1. "Deadpool" - $135 million
2. "Kung Fu Panda 3" - $19.6 million
3. "How to Be Single" - $18.7 million
4. "Zoolander 2" - $15.6 million
5. "The Revenant" - $6.9 million
6. "Hail Caesar" - $5.2 million
7. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" - $6.6 million
8. "The Choice" - $5.2 million
9. "Ride Along 2" - $4.1 million
10. "The Boy (2016)" - $2.9 million