"Despicable Me 2" Leads Holiday Box Office with Big Debut - East Idaho News
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“Despicable Me 2” Leads Holiday Box Office with Big Debut

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Getty 092311 MovieOpening?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1373016303823iStockphoto/Thinkstock(LOS ANGELES) — Despicable Me 2 appears to be on its way to capturing the holiday box office.

The animated sequel raked in $34.3 million on Wednesday, its first day of release, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  At that pace, it will earn up to $130 million by Sunday.

By comparison, The Lone Ranger had a soft debut on Wednesday.  The film, starring Armie Hammer as the iconic character and Johnny Depp as his sidekick Tonto, collected $9.7 million.  The budget for The Lone Ranger is said to have been at least $250 million.

The Lone Ranger received so-so reviews prior to its release, in part because the story is told from Tonto’s perspective.  Director Gore Verbinski says he took that approach in order to “make Johnny Depp essential” to the film.

Verbinski adds that moviegoers learn the story “first-hand but you’re getting it from somebody maybe you don’t entirely trust and that made it joyous and allowed us to do some really interesting things.”

The new stand-up concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain raised $4.8 million on Wednesday, in fewer than 900 theaters.

No movies open in wide release Friday.

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