Watchmen MovieAfter all the anticipation and hubbub, the weekend is coming to an end and the box office results are in: Watchmen (No. 1) grossed $55.7 million during its first frame, according to early estimates from Media by Numbers.

For a movie that did not revolve around high-profile celebrities, that amount of money is a solid sum.  According to ew.com, Watchmen premiered in more theatres (3,611 to be exact) than any other R-rated movie in history, and it averaged an impressive $15,413 per venue, despite a potentially problematic long running time.  It also scored the biggest debut of 2009 so far.  Otherwise the previous numbers, Watchmen did not actually fulfill the general expectations that it’s hype predicted.  It was merely the fifth-best opening ever for an R-rated movie.

Considering Watchmen’s hefty grosses from screenings at midnight on Friday and throughout its first day, the opening was labeled as a bit soft by critics.  After attracting some major initial interest, banking $25.1 mil on Friday, the film’s audience dropped off dramatically during the weekend.  It decreased to $19 mil on Saturday, and is estimated to make $11.5 mil today (Sunday).  

Director Zack Snyder’s adaption of Alan Moore’s landmark comic book scored a CinemaScore grade of B from an audience that was largely comprised of older men.






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