The R-rated Fifty Shades of Grey has become the top title of all time in terms of advance ticket sales for Valentine’s Day, as well as for the Presidents Day weekend, besting the movie Valentine’s Day, according to online ticketing service Fandango.
Moreover, the movie may become Fandango’s No. 4 advance seller of all time, behind The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the final Harry Potter movie and The Hunger Games.
E L James’ Fifty Shades trilogy has been translated into 52 languages and sold more than 100 millioncopies worldwide.
MovieTickets.com is also reporting intense interest in Universal and Focus Features’ R-rated adaptation of EL James steamy S&M novel, with advance sales accounting for 75 percent of its business for the long Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day weekend.
Fifty Shades, made for a relatively modest $40 million, is expected to gross $60 million or more over four-day holiday weekend, although Universal is being more cautious and saying $50 million-plus.
To date, Valentine’s Day (2010) holds the record for best Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day weekend gross in North America with $63.1 million.
Many box office experts believe Fifty Shades could outperform industry expectations, considering the massive awareness surrounding the film, directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
Fifty Shades is expected to do potent business overseas, or north of $50 million in its debut, based brisk advance ticket sales. Following its world premiere at the Berlin Film Fest Wednesday night, the $40 million film is opening virtually everywhere where allowed.
Malaysia, a predominately Muslim country, has banned Fifty Shades, while other Muslim countries aren’t likely to play it either.
