July 24, 2011 by Vinnie Leduc
Captain America: The First Avenger launched with the best superhero movie opening this year. Its $65.8 million debut just skin-of-your-teeth barely edged out Thor‘s $65.7 million for another title as well: biggest opening this summer for a non-sequel. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which broke various records en route to the biggest opening ever last week, was bumped down to second place with a still sizable $48.1 million; its total domestic gross is already closing in on the $300 million mark that 2011 top grosser Transformers: Dark of the Moon crossed last week.
Captain America‘s strong opening is good news for Marvel, which has used its latest big-budget superhero flick to whet audiences’ appetites for next summer’s The Avengers, which was teased via a stinger trailer after the credits of Captain America and looks to bring together Chris Evans’ The First Avenger, Robert Downey, Jr.’s Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk.
The other opener this weekend, Friends With Benefits, debuted with positive reviews and in third place behind Captain America and Harry Potter. Rounding out the top 5 were Transformers 3 and Horrible Bosses.
Here were the top 5 in the domestic box office last weekend via BOM:
- Captain America: The First Avenger — Weekend Gross: $65.8 million — Total Gross: $65.8 million (new)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — Weekend Gross: $48.1 million — Total Gross: $274.2 million (#1 last week)
- Friends With Benefits — Weekend Gross: $18.5 million — Total Gross: $18.5 million (new)
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon — Weekend Gross: $12 million — Total Gross: $325.8 million (#2 last week)
- Horrible Bosses — Weekend Gross: $11.7 million — Total Gross: $82.4 million (#3 last week)
