X-Men: First Class Excels at P71 Million in the Philippines!

“X-Men: First Class” stirred the franchise anew as it exceeded fans’ and the general public’s expectations when it opened with a whopping P 71 million at the box-office nationwide on its first 4-day weekend during the June 2-5, 2011 period in the Philippines.

The movie delivered with flying colors, surpassing 20th Century Fox’s estimates and is now 2011’s biggest opening for a Fox film so far, besting the studio’s recent box-office hit “Rio” at P 17 million on its opening weekend.

“X-Men: First Class’” P 52.2 M opening weekend in Metro Manila overtook “Pirates 4’s” opening 3-day weekend of P 47 M and that of “Thor’s” P 45.4 M 3-day weekend. The fourth installment of the “X-Men” franchise is now the 2nd biggest opening weekend for the year so far succeeding “Kung Fu Panda’s” P 64 M 4-day weekend.

Previous X-Men films have shown male comic book fans dominating the film's market share, but “X-Men: First Class” rebooted the franchise to an even wider demographic as it exceeded “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” gross that previously opened at P 35.4 M in 2009 and now holds record as the 2nd biggest opening weekend of the franchise next to “X-Men: Last Stand” that opened on a 5-day weekend at P 58.8 M in 2006.

Also surpassing the studio’s “Star Wars: Episode III” at a P49.8 M opening, “X-Men: First Class” so far is now Fox’s 3rd Biggest Opening Weekend All-Time following “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” at P60.9M opening and that of X-Men’s “Last Stand.”

So far recorded as the Biggest Opening Weekend for a Non-3D film, “X-Men: First Class” raked in more than 440,000 admissions in 228 screens on its 4-day Philippine debut. With the movie reaping strong positive reviews, it will most likely hold strong in the coming 3 weeks more particularly in the following top grossing cinemas.

Ayala Cinemas’ Trinoma climbed its way to the top of the list in “X-Men: First Class’” top grossing cinemas with its P 4.3 million receipt. Next in line are SM Mall of Asia P 3.8M; SM Megamall P 3.05 M; SM North Edsa/The Block P 3M; Glorietta 4 P 2.9M; Powerplant P 2.5M; Gateway Cineplex/Ali Mall P2.2M; Eastwood P 2.07M; Greenbelt 3 P 1.8M; and Alabang Town Center P 1.7M.

Still within the million mark’s top grossing cinemas are SM Cebu P1.7M; Shang Cineplex P1.69M; Ayala Cebu P 1.68; TheatreMall P 1.6M; Robinson’s Ermita P 1.55M; Newport P 1.53M; Robinson’s Galleria P 1.5M; Filinvest P 1.3M; Market!Market! P1.2M; SM Fairview P 1.1M; and SM San Lazaro P 1M.

About X-Men: First Class

“X-Men: First Class” is set in the 1960s – the dawn of the Space Age, and also the height of the Cold War, when escalating tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union threatened the entire planet – and when the world discovered the existence of mutants that unveils the beginning of the X-Men saga. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender star as Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr before they took the names Professor X and Magneto. Before they were archenemies they were the closest of friends, working together and with other mutants to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. As the first class discovers, harnesses, and comes to terms with their formidable powers, alliances are formed that will shape the eternal war between the heroes and villains of the X-Men universe.

“X-Men: First Class” is still showing nationwide from 20th Century Fox distributed by Warner Bros.