'Interstellar' took $1.5 million from a handful of screens. It expands to 3,500 locations this weekend.
If there was any debate as to whether Interstellar or Big Hero 6 would find itself top of the box-office come Monday morning, it may have been extinguished after Christopher Nolan's took $1.5 million from a limited number of screenings on Tuesday and Wednesday night (November 5, 2014).
Matthew McConaughey [L] and Anne Hathaway [Centre] star in Christopher Nolan's sci-fi epic 'Interstellar'
The space odyssey pulled in a huge gross from a combination or regular and IMAX screenings, which began at 8pm Paramount Pictures released the movie on 240 theatres across the U.S, with the distributor selecting specific venues that favour traditional film projectors, rather than digital.
Interstellar will now expand to 3,500 locations, 369 of which will be in IMAX. The movie is expected to take in the region of $55 million from its opening weekend and just short of $60 million from Tuesday to Sunday. It has a production budget of $165 million, which should be recouped within a couple of weeks.
More: Matthew McConaughey cried three times at 'Interstellar'. Three times.
Though the majority of critics have reacted favourably, some have been left disappointed after the hype of Interstellar.
"By the closing credits, it seems possible that Nolan himself hails from another planet, and while he has tried diligently to show humanity in a flattering light, he lacks enough inside information to get it right," said Liam Lacey of the Globe & Mail.
For those who don't fancy Nolan's sci-fi epic, Disney has a big-budget release of its own - Big Hero 6. Targeted at a much younger crowd, the animation could, in theory, edge out Interstellar with some estimates placing it at $60 million, though Nolan's movie has been quick out of the blocks. Big Hero 6 also comes attached with a $165 million budget - again, which should be recouped comfortably.
More: Obviously, Christopher Nolan doesn't have an email address. So don't try and email him.
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