Box Office: 'Amazing Spider-Man 2' Kicks Off Summer With $92 Million Debut

Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 kicked off the summer box office in style, earning $92 million in its debut.

Internationally, where the superhero sequel began opening two weeks ago, the movie took in an estimated $116 million for a foreign total of $277 million and global haul of $369 million (it is pacing ahead of the first Amazing Spider-Man in many markets). Amazing Spider-Man 2 debuted in China on Sunday, taking in a stellar $10.4 million, the top gross ever for a designated workday.

In the U.S., the $200 million-plus tentpole was fueled by families (33 percent) and younger moviegoers, with 51 percent of ticket buyers under the age of 25, a strong showing. They liked the movie best, giving it an A- CinemaScore. Overall, the movie earned a B+.

Males made up 61 percent of the audience, evidenced by the fact that Imax and large-format screens -- the favored venue of fanboys -- generated strong numbers. Amazing Spider-Man 2 generated $9.3 million in ticket sales from 353 Imax theaters, and $7.3 million from large-format screens, led by Cinemark. All of the film's top five locations were Imax theaters. Overseas, Imax theaters have racked up nearly $16 million in sales.

Amazing Spider-Man 2 had hoped to best the recent $95 million opening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier to become the year's top opener to date in North America. In terms of May openings, Amazing Spider-Man 2 ranks No. 7.

Director Marc Webb reteamed with stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone to make the sequel, which features an array of new castmembers, including Jamie Foxx as the villain Electro and Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn, Spider-Man's friend turned nemesis. Paul Giamatti plays Rhino, a third bad guy.

Comparisons to The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) are complicated since that film opened Tuesday of Fourth of July week, taking in $137 million in its first six days, including $62 million for the weekend. Amazing Spider-Man topped out at $752.2 million globally, successfully relaunching the marquee franchise post Tobey Maguire.

Summer almost always begins with a Marvel Comics superhero tentpole. In 2012, Marvel and Disney's The Avengers netted an astounding $207.4 million on its first weekend in May, the highest opening of all time for any time of the year. Last year, Iron Man 3 took in $174.1 million; Thor grossed $65.7 million in 2011; and X-Men Origins: Wolverine made $85.1 million in 2009.

Spider-Man 3, debuting to $151.1 million in 2007, is the No. 3 May opener of all time after Avengers and Iron Man 3.

"What made this weekend so unique and special was that we had a terrific opening in the U.S., but the picture has now opened worldwide, and on every continent, we enjoyed stunning results," Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer said.

The sequel did especially strong business in India, where it took in $6.5 million, the biggest opening weekend of all time for a Hollywood title, and across Asia, including the Philippines ($5.6 million), Indonesia ($5.2 million), Malaysia ($4.6 million) and Hong Kong ($3.6 million).

France came in 32 percent ahead of the first Amazing Spider-Man with $10.6 million. In Latin America, Brazil launched with $10.5 million, beating the opening of the first Amazing Spider-Man by 76 percent.

Back in North America, Fox's femme-fueled comedy The Other Woman held well in its second weekend, placing No. 2 with $14.2 million for a domestic total of $47.3 million. Overseas, the Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann comedy took in another $19.5 million from 49 markets for an international total of $45.8 million.

Sony's Christian film Heaven Is for Real, coming in No. 3 domestically, grossed $8.7 million in its third outing for a total $65.6 million.

Winter Soldier hit nearly $680 million in global ticket sales, grossing $7.8 million in North America for a fourth-place finish. The Disney and Marvel tentpole has earned $237.1 million domestically and $442.7 million internationally for a total $679.8 million -- 83 percent ahead of the first Captain America.

Fox's Rio 2 crossed the $100 million mark in its fourth weekend, grossing $7.6 million for a domestic total of $106.5 million and coming in No. 5. Overseas, the animated film delivered $24.5 million from 58 markets for a foreign total of $289.1 million.

Fox Searchlight's period drama Belle nabbed the top location average of the weekend domestically as it debuted in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, grossing $104,493 for an OK average of $26,123.
Polish drama and festival favorite Ida opened nicely, grossing $50,000 from three theaters in New York and Los Angeles for a location average of $16,667.

Focus World debuted Elizabeth Banks and James Marsden comedy Walk of Shame simultaneously in theaters and on VOD. Theatrically, the movie grossed $38,000 from 51 locations for a paltry location average of $745; however, Focus reports that Walk of Shame was the No. 1 title on iTunes at one point over the weekend.

Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel continued to shine for Searchlight as it crossed the $50 million mark in North America, grossing $1.7 million from 884 locations in its ninth weekend for a domestic total of $51.5 million. The movie, making a reappearance on the top 10 chart, came in No. 10. Internationally, Grand Budapest has earned $89 million to date.

Here are the top 10 estimates for the weekend of May 2-May 4 at the domestic box office:

Title, Weeks in Release/Theater Count, Studio, Weekend Total, Percentage Drop, Cume
1. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, 1/4,324, Sony, $92 million.
2. The Other Woman, 2/3,238, Fox, $14.2 million, -43%, $47.3 million.
3. Heaven Is for Real, 3/2,930 Sony/TriStar, $8.7 million, -39%, $65.6 million.
4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 5/3,179, Disney/Marvel, $7.8 million, -52%, $237.1 million.
5. Rio 2, 4/3,314, Fox/Blue Sky, $7.6 million, -45%, $106.5 million.
6. Brick Mansions, 2/2,647, Relativity/EuropaCorp, $3.5 million, -63%, $15.5 million.
7. Divergent, 7/1,639, Lionsgate/Summit, $2.2 million, -41%, $142.7 million.
8. The Quiet Ones, 2/2,027, Lionsgate/Exclusive, $2 million, -48%, $6.8 million.
9. God's Not Dead, 7/1,330, Freestyle, $1.8 million, -37%, $55.6 million.
10. The Grand Budapest Hotel, 9/884, Disney, $1.7 million, -29%, $51.5 million.