Beauty and the Beast Broke Five Records in Its Opening Weekend

BY

SOPHIE HIRSH

Considering Beauty and the Beast has been taking over our news feeds for weeks, it's no surprise that there's still more BATB news to go around, now that the movie is finally in theaters. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beauty and the Beast has already shattered no fewer than five box office records in its opening weekend.

The film grossed $170 million in North America and $350 million globally in its first few days in theaters, proving that moviegoers truly love a tale as old as time. The movie is now the "top domestic opening of all time for a film rated PG," beating out Finding Dory, which previously held the record in North America after grossing $135 million during its opening weekend.

Beauty and the Beast is also now the "number-seven launch of all time for any movie." The film it beat out? None other than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.Emma Watson, who stars as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, started her career as Hermione in the Harry Potter film franchise, in case you forgot. THR adds that once additional opening-weekend information is counted, BATB's $170 million could actually become $174 million, which would bring the film up to number six, tying with Iron Man 3.

But that's not all. BATB is also the "biggest debut of all time for a female-fueled film." According to Disney, more than 70 percent of ticket buyers were female on opening night, Friday, March 17. As the weekend continued, female ticket buyers on average represented 60 percent of audiences. The film was also the "biggest domestic bow in almost a year." The last domestic U.S. debut of similar size was Captain America: Civil War, which came out in May 2016, grossing $179.1 million its opening weekend.

And last but not least, Beauty and the Beast has allowed Disney to break a record of its own in the category of animated film turned live-action film. Alice in Wonderland, the 2010 live-action film directed by Tim Burton, previously held the record for a Disney live-action film based on an animated classic grossing the most in its opening weekend. It made $116.1 million in its debut weekend, about $54 million less than Beauty and the Beast.