Star-studded apocalypse comedy "This Is the End" racked up a sterling $2.2 million in late night shows on Tuesday, according to studio estimates.
Screenings for the Sony release kicked off at 7 p.m. Tuesday night at 2,300 theaters. It expands to 3,055 locations on Wednesday.
Though not on the level of an "Iron Man 3" or "Fast & the Furious 6," the results are strong, considering that the film carries substantially lower production costs and less brand recognition. Its gross is roughly in line with the $1.7 million "Now You See Me" generated in late-night shows. That Summit thriller went on to make $28 million on its opening weekend.
It also follows a weekend where the $3 million thriller "The Purge" brought in an opening-weekend $36.3 million.
"This Is the End" boasts an unusual conceit, with actors like Seth Rogen, James Franco and Danny McBride playing themselves. But instead of a verité look at what life is like on the A-list, the film follows the stars as they attempt to survive the end of the world.
Opening on Tuesday allows the film to get a jump on the weekend where it faces stiff competition from "Man of Steel." The Superman reboot opens Friday and is expected to rack up more than $80 million.
There will still be enough gold to go around for "This Is the End," however. The raunchy comedy is expected to generate as much as $30 million over the next five days. Not shabby for a film that reportedly cost $32 million to produce.
