LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — New Disney/Marvel comedy Deadpool & Wolverine scored a “spectacular” opening in North American cinemas this weekend, its huge take of US$205 million placing it not just near the top of superhero films but marking the eighth-biggest opening ever, analysts said Sunday.

“The numbers are fantastic,” said David A Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “These characters’ popularity is growing, not slowing.”

The film is enjoying positive reviews and “excellent” audience scores, Gross said. The popularity of Ryan Reynolds (who plays Deadpool and shares a writing credit), and his real-life pal Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) didn’t hurt, either.

The debut ranks just ahead of 2018’s Black Panther, which opened to US$202 million, and just behind Jurassic World (US$208 million in 2015), according to Variety. International ticket sales are already a stunning US$233.3 million.

Its opening was also the best-ever for an R-rated film (not inflation-adjusted), far surpassing the previous record holder, the first
Deadpool (US$133.7 million), according to the Hollywood Reporter.

That left last weekend’s top film, Universal’s weather thriller Twisters, twisting in the dust, with what normally would be a respectable take of US$35.3 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

The stand-alone follow-up to 1996’s popular Twister has Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones playing risk-taking storm chasers caught in the middle of fast-converging tornadoes.

In third for the Friday-through-Sunday period was Universal’s animated comedy Despicable Me 4, earning US$14.2 million in its fourth weekend out. It has total ticket sales so far of US$291.0 million in North America.

Slipping one spot to fourth place was Disney and Pixar’s coming-of-age animation Inside Out 2, at US$8.3 million.

Also down one spot was horror mystery Longlegs at US$6.8 million. Nicolas Cage stars in the film, the all-time top grosser from indie studio Neon.

Rounding out the top 10 were: A Quiet Place: Day One (US$3.0 million); Bad Boys: Ride or Die (US$1.3 million); The Fabulous Four (US$1.0 million); Fly Me to the Moon (US$750,000); and Raayan (US$375,000).