Mutants Muster More Than Murphy
X2: X-Men Unitedwas divided by two in its second weekend, but was still able to fend off a strong showing by theEddie Murphyfamily comedyDaddy Day Care.

Fox's $110 million Marvel Comics adaptation pulled in $40,032,160 at 3,749 theaters over the weekend for a whopping 10-day tally of $147,677,021. Sony'sDaddy Day Carecame in at $27,623,580 from 3,370 venues.

"This is what I was hoping for," Fox distribution chief Bruce Snyder toldBox Office Mojo."I was thinking we'd be in the $40 million range."

ThoughX2's 53% drop is precipitous, it's hold actually was stronger than the first movie, demonstrating how the franchise's audience has broadened since its 2000 big screen debut.X-Mentumbled 57% in its second weekend to $23,468,649 for a 10-day total of $99,318,708 on its way to its $157,299,717 final gross.

On this same frame last year,Spider-Mandipped just 38% from its record-shattering $114,844,116 debut to $71,417,527, the largest second weekend ever. It had $223,040,031 in the bank after 10 days. But Spidey was the exception. In recent years, the old adage "the bigger they are the harder they fall" has been the rule. For instance, the summer 2001 openerThe Mummy Returnsfell 50% in its sophomore session after its massive $68,139,035 bow.

X2faced stiffer albeit well counter-programmed competition in the form ofDaddy Day Care.Traditionally, studios take a slight breather on this frame by opening more modest fare before the summer onslaught.

"This is a stronger marketplace than usual," Snyder noted. "It's a different world when the No. 2 picture does $27 million. That gross would usually be No. 1. Last year's No. 2 wasUnfaithfulat $14 million. "

To putX2in further perspective, its second weekend was comparable to the $40,310,419 first weekend that Marvel and Fox stable mateDaredevilposted earlier this year.

Spider-Manscaled to a record 3,876 theaters in its fourth weekend, but don't expectX2to follow suit, despite its standing as the widest opening weekend release ever at 3,741 theaters.

"We kind of ran out of places to show it," Snyder explained. "I don't know how we got the extra eight theaters this weekend. I don't know how Sony gotSpider-Manthat wide, but God bless them for it. "

X2crossed the $100 million on Wednesday, its 6th day of release, making it one of the fastest movies ever to reach that milestone. Only five other movies did it in fewer days—Spider-Man(3 days),Attack of the Clones(4 days),The Phantom Menace(5 days), the firstHarry Potter(5) andThe Two Towers(5).

On Saturday,X2endedBringing Down the House's reign as the highest grossing movie of 2003. TheSteve Martincomedy has brought in $128,659,231. It's been the year of comedy and superheroes so far as the three other pictures to cross the century mark areAnger Management,How to Lose a Guy in 10 DaysandDaredevil.At this point last year, onlySpider-ManandIce Agehad joined the $100 million club.

At it's current trajectory,X2could end up with around $220 million by the end of its run.

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