I think we all expected 300 to do well this weekend, but did any of us really think it was going to make $70 million? That huge opening even eclipses Gladiator ($38 million) and Troy ($46 million) in the debut weekend stakes, the former eventually going on to make $187 million domestic.

Zack Snyder’s adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel is now the biggest March release ever, and the third highest grossing R-Rated movie of all time, just behind The Matrix Reloaded ($91 million) and The Passion of the Christ ($83 million).

Strangely, the other films released haven’t suffered at the box office because of 300’s mammoth taking. Wild Hogs still went on to make a huge $28 million in it’s second weekend, whilst overall box office was up 39% from this time last year.

What this indicates to me, is that the smart movie-goers (who read this site of course) have come out of the woodwork to see a good looking film, whilst the rest of the idiot audience in the U.S. continue to watch Wild Hogs and are oblivious to taste!

9 March 2007 (Sunday Estimates)

source - box office mojo