Moviegoers ran toward the tornadoes this weekend, propelling “ Twisters ” to a blockbuster opening. The standalone sequel to the 1996 hit made $80.5 million in ticket sales from 4,151 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That’s about $30 million more than analysts expected initially, and makes for the biggest opening of a live-action movie yet this summer.
Its overperformance recalled “ Oppenheimer’s ” debut last year on the same weekend. There are some similiarities: The studio, Universal, and the numbers. But there are also important differences: “Oppenheimer” was 3-hours long, R-rated (“Twisters” is PG-13) and historical, not to mention the collective enthusiasm around its release date companion, “Barbie.”
“ Twisters,” meanwhile, is a franchise. It may not be a direct sequel to “Twister” but it is benefiting from the brand recognition. The original Jan de Bont-directed film starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton was a…
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