Depp Sets Records Again

Despite many lackluster reviews around the world (which is interesting because most of the initial reviews were extremely favorable), Pirates 4 now boasts the highest five-day opening in history, with $346.4 million worldwide.

(I'd be happy with less than half of that for DS in its opening weekend.  )

I'm hoping DS breaks all box office records.

Will "X-Men: First Class" unseat "Pirates"?

'(CBS) "The Hangover Part II" blew the competition - including "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" - into smithereens last weekend at the box office, but that's just in the United States. In the rest of the world, the Johnny Depp-starring retread is still tops.

Worldwide, the fourth "Pirates" movie has earned about $640 million as of Wednesday, according to Box Office Mojo. That's more than "Thor" and "Fast Five," two movies that have been out longer. That haul (and it's likely to keep increasing) will probably be more than enough to out-earn "The Hangover Part II."

...

The "Pirates" movies have traditionally outperformed the "X-Men" movies at the international box office. Will that continue with the "First Class"?'

Well, the answer to the question posed in the above linked article's title would seem to be "No." And the answer to the last question above would appear to be "Yes."

Around-the-World Brief: 'Pirates' Out-Class 'X-Men'

Pirates 4 reigned over the foreign box office for the third weekend in a row and extended its lead as the biggest movie of 2011 so far ($600.4 million).

Also, on the all-time foreign gross chart, Pirates 4 is currently ranked 16th, but it won't be long before it exceeds the final grosses of both Pirates 2 ($642.9 million) and Pirates 3 ($654 million) and lands in the Top 10. And after adding in its US gross so far ($190.3 million), Pirates 4's worldwide take stands at $790.7 million, which ranks it 31st on the all-time worldwide gross chart.  

Box Office Report: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' Sails Past $800 Million Globally
With the Johnny Depp tentpole passing its latest landmark in the box office, it raises the possibility that the Disney film could near a $1 billion cume.

Pirates 4 has now grossed more than $807 million and is not only the biggest movie of the year, it's on track to becoming the franchise’s most successful film internationally.

Around-the-World Brief: 'Panda' Topples Mighty 'Pirates'

"On Stranger Tides declined 41 percent to an estimated $41.1 million. It held on to first place in Japan for the fourth weekend in a row with $6 million, and its $74.5 million total there is tops among all of its territories. Over the weekend, it passed Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End to become the highest-grossing entry in the series with a huge $678 million. That total was good for sixth place all-time, and it's poised to pass Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Alice in Wonderland by Friday to move up to fourth place. It also now appears to have a great chance of eclipsing The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King's $742.1 million total to become the third highest-grossing movie overseas behind James Cameron's Avatar and Titanic (both of which are way out of reach). Add in its soft domestic haul, and On Stranger Tides now ranks 19th on the all-time worldwide chart with $886.8 million."

It's also interesting that Kung Fu Panda 2 is shaping up as another movie that's doing much better overseas than it is in the US...

Latest Pirates Sequel to Break $1 Billion at Box Office

What's also interesting is that of the three Disney films to break a billion, two feature Depp: Pirates 4 and Alice.