'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Climbs to $35 Million Opening

Sony’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is off to a solid start at the box office this weekend, topping the charts with a $35.4 million opening from 3,813 screens.

When compared to the openings for past animated films from producers Phil Lord (who also co-wrote the script for “Spider-Verse”) and Chris Miller, this is a drop. “The Lego Batman Movie,” for example, had an opening of $53 million in February 2017. But this the “Spider-Verse” opening holds tomorrow, it will just edge out the $35.2 million start of 2016 Illumination movie “Sing” for the best animated opening in December box office history.

Also Read: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Film Review: Clever Superhero Saga With Animated Arachnids

“Sing” ended up legging out all the way to a $270 million domestic run, and Sony is hoping for a similarly strong holiday season run for the $90 million “Spider-Verse.” Word of mouth has been overwhelmingly positive, as the film earned an A+ on CinemaScore and dazzled critics with a 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. With kids out from school over the next several weeks, the studio is hoping that the word of mouth will lead to a sustained turnout, even as other superhero and family films like “Bumblebee,” “Aquaman” and “Mary Poppins Returns” enter the market next week.

In second this weekend is Warner Bros.’ “The Mule,” which has hit studio projections with a $17 million opening from 2,855 screens. Made on a $50 million budget, Clint Eastwood’s latest film only has a 64 percent Rotten Tomatoes score but has won over the director’s devoted fanbase with an A-.

WB will look for “The Mule” to have a similar pull with older audiences that Sony is hoping “Spider-Verse” will have with families, as the crime drama serves as an alternative to many of the fantasies that will dominate movie theater marquees this weekend.

Also Read: 'The Mule' Film Review: Clint Eastwood Drives for the Cartel in Thoughtful, Bumpy Crime Tale

The third new release this weekend is Universal’s “Mortal Engines,” which has supplanted “Robin Hood” as the biggest bomb of 2018. With a reported budget of at least $100 million, the dystopian action film is reporting an opening of just $7.5 million. It’s the first bomb of 2018 for a blockbuster with a $100 million-plus budget. Overseas, the film has grossed $34.8 million for a total of $42.3 million.

The opening for “Mortal Engines” was so low that it was easily topped on the charts by another Universal film, Illumination’s “The Grinch.” The animated film is in its sixth weekend but is still going strong with $12 million grossed, pushing the domestic total closer to $250 million. “Grinch” is also now guaranteed to beat the domestic run of Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” which fell from first to fourth on the charts this weekend with a $9.6 million total.

Finally, outside the top 10, Fox’s PG-13 “Once Upon a Deadpool” opened to $4 million over five days. It’s a solid result for what is essentially a re-release of “Deadpool 2,” with some new footage starring Ryan Reynolds and Fred Savage for a Christmas theme. While the totals for “Once Upon a Deadpool” aren’t officially added to those of “Deadpool 2” because of the rating change, it would push the film’s lifetime gross to $322.3 million.

53 Movies With A+ CinemaScore Since 2000, From 'Remember the Titans' to 'Just Mercy' (Photos)

"Finding Forrester" (2000)

A writing prodigy finds an unlikely mentor in a reclusive author played by Sean Connery in this feel-good drama that won over first-weekend audiences.
Sony
"Remember the Titans" (2000)

Audiences cheered for the high school football drama starring Denzel Washington as a tough-talking coach.
Disney
"Monsters, Inc." (2001)

Pixar animated hits like this one consistently get high marks from CinemaScore moviegoers.
Pixar
"Antwone Fisher" (2002)

Denzel Washington plays a Navy shrink treating a troubled sailor (Derek Luke).
"Drumline" (2002)

Nick Cannon plays a Harlem street drummer recruited to play for a Southern university's marching band.
Fox
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002)

The second film in the eight-film saga won a grade that would have pleased Hermione -- though all the others rated an A– or better.
Warner Bros.
"Finding Nemo" (2003)

Another beloved Pixar hit.
Pixar
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)

The Oscar-winning finale of Peter Jackson's J.R.R. Tolkien saga was the one ring that ruled them all.
New Line
"The Passion of the Christ" (2004)

Mel Gibson's biblical epic won a passionate response from filmgoers.
"The Incredibles" (2004)

Another Pixar film that won over audiences in a superhero-size way.
Pixar
"The Polar Express" (2004)

Tom Hanks' CG conductor now looks a little creepy, but this holiday-set animated film was cutting edge at the time of its release.
"Ray" (2004)

Jamie Foxx's Oscar-winning turn as music legend Ray Charles hit high notes with filmgoers.
"Dreamer" (2005)

A heart-tugging story about a racehorse who came back after breaking a leg is a natural to win high marks.
DreamWorks
"Diary of a Mad Black Woman" (2005)

Tyler Perry's early Madea film won over first-weekend audiences.
"Cinderella Man" (2005)

Ron Howard's drama about a real-life boxer (Russell Crowe) knocked out moviegoers.
Universal
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (2005)

The C.S. Lewis story ticked the right boxes for CinemaScore audiences with its appeal to both faith-based and family audiences.
"Akeelah and the Bee" (2006)

A girl from South Los Angeles tries to compete in the National Spelling Bee in this feel-good drama.
"Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" (2007)

CinemaScore grades tend to get a boost when super-fans turn out in force on opening weekend -- like Tyler Perry enthusiasts.
Lionsgate
"Up" (2009)

Filmgoer affection kept the score aloft for this Pixar hit.
Pixar
"The Blind Side" (2009)

Sandra Bullock's Oscar-winning feel-good drama blindsided audiences with its heartfelt true-life story.
Warner Bros.
"The King's Speech" (2010)

Colin Firth's true-life story of King George VI became the latest Oscar Best Picture winner to appeal to audiences as well.
TWC
"Tangled" (2010)

Disney's spin on Rapunzel was just another one of its much-loved princess yarns.
Disney
"Soul Surfer" (2011)

Filmgoers latched onto a film about Bethany Hamilton, a surfer who got back on the board even after losing an arm in a shark attack.
"Courageous" (2011)

This faith-based indie about four cops who reassess their lives after a tragedy hit home with audiences.
"Dolphin Tale" (2011)

Family audiences flipped for this one.
"The Help" (2011)

Tate Taylor's civil rights drama became a giant summer hit on the heels of some very positive word of mouth.
Disney
"The Avengers" (2012)

Marvel's superhero-palooza became the first comic-book movie to land a perfect grade.
Marvel
"Argo" (2012)

Ben Affleck's fact-based drama connected with audiences -- and Academy voters.
Warner Bros.
"42" (2013)

Five years before his "Black Panther" landed an A+, Chadwick Boseman starred in this biopic of Jackie Robinson.
"Instructions Not Included" (2013)

This Spanish-language comedy became a surprise hit -- and the audience response meant strong word of mouth.

Pantelion
"The Best Man Holiday" (2013)

Fans of Malcolm D. Lee's original 1999 best-friends melodrama had to wait more than a decade for this sequel -- and they went home satisfied.
"Frozen" (2013)

Filmgoers just couldn't let this one go.
Disney
"Lone Survivor" (2014)

CinemaScore audiences love Peter Berg's true-life tales of American heroism, this time with Mark Wahlberg as a Navy SEAL on the run from the Taliban.
"Woodlawn" (2015)

Recipe for success with CinemaScore audiences: Faith-based football drama starring an African American young man who must overcome obstacles to succeed.
PureFlix
"Selma" (2015)

Ava DuVernay's stirring portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. marched forward with strong word of mouth.
"American Sniper" (2015)

Clint Eastwood's searing portrait of an American military hero (Bradley Cooper) was a hit with audiences.
Warner Bros.
"Miracles From Heaven" (2016)

CinemaScore audiences again fancied this religiously themed Jennifer Garner drama.
"Queen of Katwe" (2016)

This unfortunately little-seen film about a young girl in rural Uganda who becomes an unlikely chess champion was loved by those who did see it.
Disney
"Patriots Day" (2016)

Peter Berg's drama about the Boston Marathon bombing case wasn't a hit, but CinemaScore filmgoers loved it.
"Hidden Figures" (2016)

The true-life tale of African-American women who helped NASA's space program blasted off with filmgoers.
Fox
"Girls Trip" (2017)

Another film starring African-American women aced it with audiences.
"Wonder" (2017)

The heartwarming story of a boy with a facial deformity checked all the right boxes for first-weekend audiences.
Lionsgate
"Coco" (2017)

Pixar's animated feature won over audiences with its take on Mexico's Day of the Dead.
Disney
"Black Panther" (2018)

The Disney/Marvel blockbuster became only the second superhero movie to nab a perfect grade.
Disney/Marvel
"I Can Only Imagine" (2018)

The Erwin brothers' latest faith-based movie told the story behind Christian band MercyMe's hit song of the same name.
Roadside Attractions
"Love, Simon" (2018)

Fox's teen rom-com about a closeted high schooler drew rabid support from first-night audiences who were no doubt fans of the YA novel on which it's based.
Fox
"Incredibles 2" (2018)

Just like the original 14 years before, the sequel about a superhero family achieved a perfect score.
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018)

Sony's animated spinoff of its Spidey franchise scored with audiences big time.
"Avengers: Endgame" (2019)

The Russo brothers' blockbuster becomes the latest Marvel movie to win over audiences.
"Overcomer" (2019)

"Courageous" director Alex Kendrick scores with another faith-based film about a high school coach and the unlikely cross country star he trains both on and off the course.
"Harriet" (2019)

Kasi Lemmons won over audiences with her fact-based film about escaped slave turned abolitionist activist Harriet Tubman.
Focus Features
"Ford v Ferrari" (2019)

James Mangold's fact-based auto racing film, starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale, won over first-weekend audiences big time.
"Just Mercy" (2020)

The fact-based drama starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx about a wrongly accused man on death row won over first-weekend audiences.
If you're curious, click on to see all the movies that have flunked in the CinemaScore survey.

Also Read: All 19 Movies That Flunked CinemaScore With F Grade, From ‘Solaris’ to ‘mother!’ (Photos)