Spider-Bytes

Summer '07 starts off with a "small movie" called Spider-Man 3 (reviews)...The critics like the sequel overall, to be sure, but they certainly have more issues with this chapter, than they did with its predecessors..The only other wide release this weekend has Drew Barrymore and Eric Bana staring in Curtis Hanson's dramedy Lucky You (reviews) The counter-programing strategy has worked well in the past--think The Devil Wears Prada going up against Superman Returns last year. In it's opening weekend, "Prada" wasn't number 1, but given the hype and built in audience SR had going in--it still did better than anyone expected...

How Much $$ Can A Superhero In Disguise Make In One Weekend?

Ian Mohr and Dave McNary of Variety:

There's no question about which movie will be No. 1 at the B.O. this weekend...but just how much will "Spider-Man 3" make?

After shattering records across Asia and Europe in its midweek openings so far, and beating tallies for the last two pics in the franchise, third Peter Parker tale is on track to do the same at home.

Sony is making the pic the widest domestic opening weekend ever by booking 4,252 theaters. ("Shrek 2" opened in 4,163 in 2004.)

On its first day in 2004 "Spider-Man 2" opened to $40.4 million domestically and hit an opening weekend tally of $88.1 million.

First pic in the franchise, which passed $400 million domestically in 2002, had an opening day take of $39.4 million and a $114.8 million first weekend, according to B.O. service Rentrak.

According to ticket sales service Fandango, more than 100 "Spider-Man 3" midnight shows on Friday were sold out, and Sony added further runs at 3 a.m. to accommodate demand.

Site also reported that the pic is selling tickets at six times the rate of "Spider-Man 2" ahead of its opening weekend. Another site, Movietickets.com, also said that the third pic is well outpacing ticket sales for "Spider-Man 2."

So the runway has been cleared for "Spider-Man 3" after a dismal three days at the domestic box office last weekend.

That's good news for the pic, which must swing to big-time numbers fast...

Read the complete story here...

Sure, Spidey 3 will open huge...Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly wonders if the flick will = Biggest opening ever?

Next Up: The horror film 28 Weeks Later (sequel to the great 28 Days Later...from 2002 will try and scare up some biz before Shrek the Third arrives on the 18th...