'Spider-Man' breaks records

LOS ANGELES -- "Spider-Man" has leaped from comic book to record book, becoming the first movie to hit $100 million in its first weekend. \nThe live-action adaptation starring Tobey Maguire as the Marvel Comics web-slinger shattered box-office records with a $114 million debut, surpassing the previous best of $90.3 million taken in by "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' during its first three days last fall. \nWith $39.3 million on Friday and $43.7 million on Saturday, director Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man'' also beat the single-day record of $33.5 million set by "Harry Potter'' in its second day, according to studio figures Sunday. \n"Not in our wildest expectations or dreams" did the filmmakers anticipate such demand for "Spider-Man," said Amy Pascal, head of Sony's Columbia Pictures, which released the film. The studio would have been thrilled with a debut in the $70 million to $80 million range, she said. \nPlaying in 3,615 theaters, "Spider-Man'' averaged $31,535 per location, a new high for films opening in 3,000 or more cinemas, running about $7,000 ahead of the old record held by "Harry Potter.'' "Spider-Man'' also was the fastest movie to reach $100 million, passing "Harry Potter'' and "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace,'' which both took five days to climb to $105 million. \n"I don't think there's a distribution record in history that hasn't been shattered," said Jeff Blake, Sony president of worldwide marketing and distribution. "That $100 million opening weekend has always been sort of a great white whale of the movie business. To have 'Spider-Man' capture it is just thrilling."\nWith few big films opening this past weekend or next, "Spider-Man'' has a fairly wide-open field until the new "Star Wars'' film opens May 16. \nThis past weekend brought two other modest debuts. "Deuces Wild,'' a street-gang drama starring Matt Dillon, opened at No. 7 with $2.7 million, averaging a weak $1,824 in 1,480 theaters. \nWoody Allen's comedy "Hollywood Ending'' tied for 10th place, grossing $2.2 million in 765 theaters for a $2,876 average. \nOverall, the top 12 movies grossed $153.3 million, up 54 percent from the same weekend last year, when "The Mummy Returns'' debuted. "Spider-Man'' accounted for nearly three-fourths of revenues among the top 12 films. \nUbiquitous marketing, an audience built up through 40 years of comic readership, solid action and visual effects and a tale of an ordinary, misfit youth helped draw an across-the-board audience to "Spider-Man.'' The crowds were split about 50-50 between men and women and viewers older and younger than 25, Blake said. \n"It is a very universal story everybody can relate to,'' Pascal said. "He's a completely misunderstood guy that nobody recognizes and who just wants to do good. He's not a hero from planet Krypton. He's all of us.'' \nThe success of "Spider-Man'' bodes well for Hollywood's overall summer, which is crowded with marquee titles including new "Star Wars,'' "Men in Black,'' "Austin Powers,'' "Stuart Little'' and "Spy Kids'' movies. \n"Spider-Man'' also sets a benchmark few films will be able to rival. \n"This sets a new gold standard by which the rest of the summer blockbusters are going to be judged,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "Everybody's going to have to try and live up to Spider-Man.'' \nEstimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.