‘American Sniper’ Sets Multiple Box Office Records

American Snipers Sets Box Office Records
BRADLEY COOPER as Chris Kyle and SIENNA MILLER as Taya in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama ‘AMERICAN SNIPER.’ (Photo © 2014 Warner Bros Entertainment)

American Sniper didn’t slip quietly unnoticed into theaters. The action film directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the true story of the most lethal sniper in American military history snagged the top spot at the box office by bringing in $90 million over its first three days in wide release. Including the Monday, Martin Luther King Jr holiday, American Sniper should post an incredible $105 million opening weekend.

The $90 million figure is the largest three-day opening for a January movie in history. The record had previously been held by the comedy movie Ride Along with $41.5 million. American Sniper‘s opening was the second biggest for an R-rated movie behind only The Matrix Reloaded, as well as the biggest four day IMAX opening for an R-rated film, pushing Prometheus into second place. Playing in 3,555 theaters, the story of sniper Chris Kyle is now the largest opening weekend for a Clint Eastwood film.

American Sniper also now holds the title of the largest grossing film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar this year, according to Box Office Mojo.

“It is a cultural phenomenon and a perfect storm,” stated Warner Brothers’ Domestic Distribution Chief Dan Fellman. “If you would have told me we’d do these numbers, I would have replied that you were smoking something. This is the first ‘real’ superhero movie. It performed well in every market, from the smallest town to the biggest cities.”

The Warner Bros Picture release earned six Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing.


-By Rebecca Murray

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