"The Amazing Spider-Man" grabs $7.5 million in midnight shows

PanARMENIAN.Net - Sony's "The Amazing Spider-Man" is off to a fast start at the box office, taking in $7.5 million from 3,150 screens at midnight shows Tuesday, July 3, TheWrap said.

That is, coincidentally, what "Spider-Man 3" opened to with its midnight shows on May 3, 2007, and that film went on to make $336.5 million domestically.

Spidey brought in $1.2 million of its haul from 300 Imax screens, a glossy $4,000 per-screen average.

The big opening, no doubt fueled by passionate fanboys, gives "The Amazing Spider-Man" some momentum heading into the six-day July 4 weekend. Industry analysts have projected an opening between $120 million and $140 million.

The record is held by "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," which earned a staggering $43.5 million in midnight shows last year, on its way to a $169.2 million opening weekend, the second-best ever.

In May, Disney and Marvel's "Avengers" took in $18.7 million from midnight shows at roughly 2,500 screens -- $1.3 million from 273 Imax screens -- on its way to biggest opening weekend ever at $207.4 million.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" also got off to a strong start overseas with $51.1 million last weekend, mostly from Asia.

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone star in the fourth installment in the $2.5 billion franchise and the first in 3D. Marc Webb directs the reboot. Sam Raimi directed the first three films, the last of which was in 2007.