Weekend Box Office Report: 'Deadpool' Rises To The Top
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Dead Deadpool is certainly not.
Despite its R rating, the Marvel Comics-inspired comedic superhero thriller starring Ryan Reynolds smashed its way to an easy first-place finish, earning an estimated, remarkable $135-million on its opening weekend and seemingly launching a new franchise despite its origins as part of the X-Men franchise.
Moreover, it also goes in the record books as the biggest opening ever for an R-rated movie and the biggest February opening of all time.
In a distant second place was last weekend's leader, Kung Fu Panda 3, which took in $20-million.
The next two slots were claimed by the weekend���s other debuting releases:
Third was the new romantic comedy, How to Be Single, with Dakota Johnson. It totaled $19-million.
And fourth was Zoolander 2, the fifteen-years-later sequel to the male-model spoof starring and directed by Ben Stiller. It earned $18-million.
Overall, thanks largely to Deadpool, industry-wide totals were far beyond those of last weekend or of a year ago.
