That's what I was leaning towards too, but obviously the day isn't over yet on either coast, so the totals would be even higher. Maybe they're final PTAs for the others too, but she doesn't make that clear either.

These are pretty much the most confounding early estimates in history.

We are closing shop here in ATL...$24,565 for Friday, $7,525 for midnights - $32,090 total for us "opening day"

So Friday itself more than tripled the midnight. If similar scenario turns out in other theaters, we would be looking at $60m+ for today without midnight, and that doesn't even account for the theaters without midnight showings.

So Friday itself more than tripled the midnight. If similar scenario turns out in other theaters, we would be looking at $60m+ for today without midnight, and that doesn't even account for the theaters without midnight showings.

The record is still POTC2, which $56 million in July when matinees are a lot more bustling. I have a very very hard time seeing Hunger top that number, let alone $60 million.

Though I would very much love it if it did.

FRIDAY 10:30 PM, 6TH UPDATE: Audiences gave Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games an ‘A’ Cinemascore with under age 18 teens/tweens rating it ’A+’.

I read that that was due to a poor extrapolation on their part. It was thought it had 3,500+ midnight sites, when the actual number was lower. Looking at your thread, it's kind of odd that the count was "only" 2,500. Even Hangover 2 had more locations for midnights.

Lionsgate's big screen adapation of Suzanne Collins' bestselling young adult novel -- starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth -- drew an A CinemaScore overall on Friday night, with those under the age of 25 giving it a glowing A+ and those over the age of 25, an A-.

Hunger Games is headed for a stellar debut, and is expected to gross as much as $70 million on Friday, putting it on course for a record-breaking debut of $135 million to $145 million (Friday's tally includes $19.7 million in Thursday midnight grosses, the best showing ever for a non-sequel).

Part of the movie's strength is that it is appealing to males as well as females. Males made up 39 percent of Friday night's audience and females, 69 percent. It also is playing evenly in terms of age, another boost.

Yes from a $70m opening it will surely make $210m OW

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-report-hunger-games-303873
They're way underestimating the IM if it gets to $70m.

I think that might just be an update of the same figure they've had for the last 6 hours, but I'm not sure.

Hunger Games needs to break the OW record just based off the greatness that was Stanley Tucci in this film.

From Nikki

FRIDAY 11 PM, 6TH UPDATE… EXCLUSIVE: My sources tonight say The Hunger Games is looking to open with $66 million for Friday box office in the U.S. and Canada including the record $19.75M in midnight shows. That puts its 3-day North American weekend gross around $138M. “The West Coast and late shows still need to come in, so this number could bounce around a bit. But, nevertheless it’s everything we thought it to be,” one rival studio exec tells me. This is the biggest movie start ever for Lionsgate, which now can count on a blockbuster bonanza for its franchise trilogy. “I did see some champagne glasses flowing down the hall,” one ecstatic Lionsgate exec gushed to me. Top Friday numbers include the last Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part Two at $91.1M, Twilight Saga: New Moon at $72.7M; The Dark Knight at $67.2M; Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part One at $61.7M. Audiences gave The Hunger Games an ‘A’ Cinemascore with under-age 18 teens/tweens rating it ’A+’.

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/

He was pretty damn awesome, I love his portrail of Caesar, was outstanding.