(PCM) There has been a ton of hype leading up the open of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and for once the hype seems worth it.
Guardians of the Galaxy had the highest grossing Thursday night open in 2014 so far, grossing $11.2 million in 2D, 3D, and IMAX ticket sales, beating out some of the year’s biggest films like Transformers: Age of Extinction ($8.8 million) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (10.2 million).
While the summer is well known for being blockbuster season, the month of August has proven in the past to not be the peak of this season, but rather the tapering off, so it’s looking a lot like Guardians of the Galaxy could be one of the biggest August releases in years.
Scott Mendelson, who covers “box office punditry, marketing analysis, and film criticisms” for Forbes speculated that Guardians could earn as much as $93 million in its opening weekend.
Guardians of the Galaxy is already receiving largely positive reviews; the film currently has a certified fresh rating of 92% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and 96% from audience members. The site has summarized the positive reviews saying: “Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect — as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.”
Tom Long of Detroit News praised the movie as having “wit, energy and zaniness to spare. It will pop your corn and leave you hungry for more” and Rafer Guzman of Newsday gave the film 3 out of 4 stars saying “Though based on a comics series launched in 1969, “Guardians” comes on with a hip, absurdist humor that feels thoroughly modern.”
Directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy stars Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, and Benicio del Toro.
Visit the official Guardians of the Galaxy website here for more info and check your local listings to find showtimes in your area!
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