‘Aquaman’ On Track for $70 Million Opening Weekend

Warner Bros and DC’s latest entry in their cinematic universe dropped this week with Aquaman, the James Wan-directed underwater epic starring Jason Momoa. Now the second-best reviewed film in DC’s extended universe, Aquaman currently sits at a respectable 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. Early reports on its box office performance indicate that audiences have been receptive to the movie, too.

Forbes reports that Aquaman is likely to bring in an impressive $70-75 million during its opening weekend in North America. On Friday, Aquaman grossed $28 million, plus an additional $9 million in Thursday previews and $4.7 million in sneak previews from last Saturday (Dec. 15) and Wednesday (Dec. 20). Warner Bros. reportedly was looking at a $65 million debut weekend, but if the current tracking matches up, then it’ll exceed those expectations.

Last week, it was reported that Aquaman had already grossed more than $179 million in overseas markets. A good chunk of that number came from China, where it scored a record-breaking open of $24.6 million. Box Office Mojo indicates that the foreign gross has since exceeded that figure, bringing in a total of $332 million, with $189 million of which coming from China alone.

Produced on a budget between $160-200 million, it’s safe to say that DC and Warner Bros. have a hit on their hands following the tepid response to Justice League, which was produced on a budget of $300 million while taking in $657.9 million worldwide.