Warner Bros.'
Suicide Squad is making a killing at the Friday box office, where it looks to earn at least $60 million for the day on its way to an August-best domestic debut of $140 million or more, according to early returns.
Friday's haul will include a huge $20.5 million in Thursday-night previews. Imax locations took in a hearty $2.4 million, or 12 percent.
The David Ayer-helmed supervillain film is destined to boast one of the best showings of the year to date and the top August domestic opening of all time, ahead of Marvel and Disney's likewise offbeat superhero film,
Guardians of the Galaxy, which
debuted to a surprise $94.3 million in 2014 after earning $11.2 million Thursday night. (
Guardians held the previous Thursday record.)
The big question heading into the weekend was whether the latest film in Warner Bros.' growing DC Extended Universe can beat another irreverent superhero offering: Fox and Marvel's
Deadpool, which collected $12.7 million in Thursday previews this past February on its way to a stunning
$134.2 million domestic launch.
Suicide Squad — boasting a friendlier PG-13 rating — is also off to an impressive start overseas, earning $20.8 million from 40 markets on Thursday for a two-day foreign total of $29.6 million. The movie is outpacing
Deadpool and
Guardians in many markets — as well as scoring the biggest opening day of all time for any film in Russia with $3.9 million. Other noteworthy Thursday results included Australia ($2.4 million) and Brazil ($3 million).