I contributed my $8.00 to the cause today. I’ll post a mini-review some time this week. As it turns out, a few other people went to the movie:
The opening, the biggest so far this year, also has surpassed those of the first two movies in the X-Men series. The first, X-Men had $54.5 million in sales when it opened in July 2000, and X2: X-Men United grossed $85.6 million in its opening weekend in May 2003.
How come? I’ve got no idea. After a lousy six or eight months of mainstream cinema, maybe people were desperate for a half-decent blockbuster?
In what can only be related news, Fox announced that there will indeed be a fourth (and possibly more) X-Men movie. Why not? The franchise is a license to print money. And, in truth, the comic book has a rich and lengthy history from which to draw characters and plot lines. When are they going to include my favourite X-man?
DarrenBarefoot.com 
“The franchise is a license to print money.”
Which other movies with sequels fit in this category? I read an argument somewhere that even if George Lucas wasn’t director, the studios would be nuts not to create Star Wars Episodes VII, VIII, and IV.
You got point here: franchise been invented for multiplying the income. As for the grand opening score of X3 – it’s simply better (and more showy) than X2, as X2 was better than X1 🙂 For blockbusters of course. The other thing is that this series of three sticks the most to Marvel’s universe (by picture and script) comparing to other ‘vel-origin pictures such as the Punisher (been waiting long time for this and got disappointed bad) or Daredevil.
P.S. They missed some better X-man. Le Beau kix Longshot’s ass 🙂
I can only guess that “X-Men” did so well only because it was the only new major movie on Memorial Day weekend, and because, well, people are sheep .. I adored the first two movies, but Ratner really blew it with this one .. just way too many mutants and unresolved story lines
there is a good chance that all the unresolved story lines were just seeds for the next movie(s).
i am sure that we’ll be watching a wolverine solo movie before we see the next x-men, though. just like in the comics, they’re going to milk that character for all it is worth.
unrelated note: darren, is there a reason that your comment box is so small? is it to encourage short comments?
I walked out of X-men 2 so lets just say its probably not my cup of tea, but hey, whatever floats your boat 🙂
I’ll get it from the barbain bin someday I’m sure. 5 to 8 euros or so, that seems reasonable.
ps. headlines like “n-th Biggest Opening of All Time” should really include the disclaimer “until the next blockbuster” 😉
The X-Men 4 announcement is actually from back in January. Hugh Jackman has acknowledged that they’re working on drafts of a Wolverine movie too.
Darren: couldn’t agree more. Longshot really deserves his own film, however…just too interesting to get lost in an ensemble picture. Let’s hope they don’t “retcon” him to any ridiculous degree.
Celia: Quite right.
JD: No good reason. It was the default. I shall expand it a bit.