Updated 9:15 a.m. PT Feb. 11
Hollywood was looking forward to a strong weekend, but "The Vow," "Safe House," "Star Wars" and "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" are performing far better than expected. This is shaping up to be the biggest non-holiday February box-office weekend ever.
Studio estimates show "The Vow" took in nearly $15.4 million on Friday, and "Safe House" grossed around $13.8 million -- far more than expected. Those movies are on track to take in more than $38 million each over the weekend.
"Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," meanwhile, took about $8.7 million Friday and "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" grossed about $6.6 million. Those two 3D films are now looking at opening weekends above $20 million. Early projections had "Journey 2" taking somewhere in the low-to-mid teens for the weekend.
"The Vow" is on track to become the highest-grossing Screen Gems opening ever. "Dear John" -- which also stars Channing Tatum -- opened to $30.5 million in February, 2010, and currently holds that distinction. "Dear John" ultimately grossed $115 million worldwide.
Spyglass co-financed "The Vow" with Sony's Screen Gems.
The audience polling company Cinemascore reports that moviegoers are enjoying this weekend's new films: "The Vow" got a "B" Cinemascore, "Safe House" and "Journey 2" each got an "A-."
Earlier:
There's a whole lot of box-office promise in "The Vow" -- a romantic drama starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams on track to gross more than $30 million in North America this weekend.
Tatum stars in Sony's PG-13-rated movie as a guy whose wife emerges from a coma with no memory of their life together -- and woos her all over again.
While most box-office watchers believe "The Vow" will easily open at No. 1 the weekend leading into Valentine's Day, they are generally optimistic about everything opening this weekend:
"Safe House," Universal's R-rated thriller starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds is looking at a $25 million opening and Fox's 3D re-release of the 1999 "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" could take $20 million.
The other movie opening wide is New Line's "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," a PG-rated movie that's likely to open in fourth place -- but already has taken nearly $50 million overseas.
For now, all eyes are on "The Vow." At least most eyes. And certainly most young women's eyes.
According to the research firm NRG, 69 percent of women younger than 25, and 49 percent of women older than 25 have "definite" interest in seeing "The Vow." And 83 percent of younger women and 77 percent of older ones report some awareness of the film.
That's despite less-than-spectacular reviews. Metacritic gives "The Vow" a 47, Movie Review Intelligence gives it a 42.5 and Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 36.
Also read: 'The Vow' Will Stink Up Theaters Even Worse Than a Tub of Buttered Popcorn
Sony projects the movie will take somewhere in the mid-to-high $20 millions, but less conservative outside box-office watchers expect it will gross at least $30 million.
