After a record breaking Memorial Day, it looks like the good times are going to continue to roll this weekend thanks to X-Men: First Class. The Fox/Marvel release had no trouble landing at number one on Friday with an estimated $21 million from 3,641 locations and is projected to earn $53 million through Sunday. That is more than all four of 2010’s wide releases earned on their post-Memorial Day frame. In terms of its mutant predecessors, First Class is on par with the $54.4 million the first X-Men took in on its debut in July of 2000 and is also just above the $48.7 million that Batman Begins made in 2005. Considering that, like the latter, this film attempts to reset a popular franchise with a young, new cast, that is pretty much as it should be. In terms of the last X-offering, X-Men: First Class will not get near the $85 million that X-Men Origins: Wolverinemade in May of 2009, but with 87% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes next to Wolverine’s 37%, I’m sure that’s a discrepancy they can live with. Details and analysis tomorrow.
| Title | Friday | Total | |
| 1 | X-Men: First Class | $21,000,000 | $21 |
| 2 | The Hangover Part II | $10,460,000 | $164.8 |
| 3 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | $6,300,000 | $82.4 |
| 4 | Pirates of the Caribbean 4 | $5,087,000 | $177.3 |
| 5 | Bridesmaids | $3,620,000 | $98.7 |