The R-rated "Deadpool" has taken the box office by surprise, beating records with a whooping $135 million from its first three days in U.S theaters.
"Deadpool," featuring Ryan Reynolds as the bad-mouthed superhero, easily beat last year's record-setting $85.2 million February premiere of the erotic drama "Fifty Shades of Grey." The Fox film as well became the biggest R-rated opening in history, surpassing "The Matrix Reloaded" that opened to $91.8 million in May 2003.
Analysts envision that the film, which is directed by Tim Miller and cost just $58 million to produce, could eventually make $150 million by the close of the holiday weekend. On Thursday, Feb. 12, the movie was expected to pull in just $80 million in three days, but the Marvel comic proved its famous appeal and then some - refusing to compromise with a PG-13 rating either, according to Tulsa World.
Meanwhile, Paul Dergarabedian, comScore's senior media analyst said via New York Daily News, "This movie is the very definition of an expectation-buster. Nobody saw this coming. It doesn't feel like a cookie-cutter superhero movie. It feels like something unique. You've got to sometimes take risks and go against conventional wisdom to come out a winner."
Approximately $16.8 million of the total garnered by "Deadpool" came from IMAX, although the movie was not released in 3D.
Furthermore, the film had massive showing globally, collecting about $125 million from 62 regions for a $260 million global sum. The premiere as well is a bit of a superhero redemption narrative for Reynolds whose expensive "Green Lantern" adaptation disillusioned viewers and the box office in 2011.
Following in a distant second position was last week's first position movie, "Kung Fu Panda 3." The film garnered $19.7 million, which declined by 7 percent. So far, the Dream Works Animation movie has earned $93.9 million in three weeks after its release.
The R-rated Rebel Wilson and Dakota Johnson rom-com, "How to Be Single," took the third position, although it did not make any significance with $18.8 million out of the gates. The Warner Bros. movie cost $38 million to produce and gave some counter programming to the hyper violent "Deadpool."
The footage below gives a glimpse of "Deadpool."