'Deadpool 2' Has a Huge Opening Night
by EG
Deadpool 2 opened big in Thursday-night previews, setting a new record for an opening night for an R-rated movie. The original Deadpool had held the record since 2016. Now, the sequel needs to keep up its steam to top the $132.4 million that its predecessor took in over its entire opening weekend. That probably won't be a problem.
Avengers: Infinity War finally has some competition.
Ryan Reynolds and 20th Century Fox's summer event pic Deadpool 2 rocketed to a huge $18.6 million in Thursday-night previews from 3,785 theaters, a record for an R-rated pic.
The previous record holder was It ($13.5 million). Prior to It, the first Deadpool had boasted the top preview gross for an R-rated film ($12.7 million). Deadpool, opening in February 2016, went on to debut to a massive $132.4 million, the best launch ever for an R-rated film.
Deadpool 2 — a darling among critics — seems destined to make some history of its own, if the preview number is an indication.
On Friday morning, Deadpool 2 will be playing in a total of 4,349 theaters in North America, where it will easily win the weekend with a debut in the $130 million to $150 million range, ending Infinity War's three-week rule.
Overseas, Deadpool 2 is opening in most major markets timed to its U.S. launch — one major exception is China — for a projected foreign debut of $150 million-plus
Reynolds reprises his role as Deadpool in the follow-up. He produced the sequel and co-wrote the script with his Deadpool collaborators Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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