“Pitch Perfect 2” brought in more money in its opening weekend than the entire domestic box office sales of the original, according to estimates by Rentrak.

Aca-believe it.

Yes, we’re tired of that signature phrase from the 2012 surprise hit (aca-awesome, aca-scuse me) but apparently America isn’t. The movie amassed a $70.3 million debut, beating out Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” by more than $35 million.

“It starts with young female appeal, generally, and then expands beyond that thanks to careful marketing and publicity,” Nick Carpou, Universal Pictures’ president of domestic distribution, told the Associated Press. “We ran ads throughout the NBA playoffs, we also had an ad at the Super Bowl. That might seem a bit counter-intuitive, but it actually helped to grow our audience base.”

So too did the unparalleled variety of special appearances throughout the film. Barack and Michelle Obama attend a Barden Bellas concert. Beca (Anna Kendrick) sings a Christmas song with Snoop Dogg. Clay Matthews and the Green Bay Packers sing, dance and rip their shirts. And then there is David Cross, Jake Tapper, Keegan-Michael Key, Jimmy Kimmel, Rosie O’Donnell, Robin Roberts, Shonda Rhimes, the entire judging panel of “The Voice”. . . you get the point.

The success is significant for actress Elizabeth Banks. She took the film over after the first movie’s director, Jason Moore, left the production, reportedly to work with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey on their upcoming movie “Sisters.” Banks told the AP she had been itching to get into the role of director for years.

“I feel that I have more to offer this business and that I was being underused,” she said. “I knew it would probably change my life. I also knew that I had to say yes. Women just don’t get offered these opportunities.”

She had the blessing and curse of a popular film to follow. Although the entire domestic box office run of “Pitch Perfect” grossed only $65 million, home video sales raked in $103 million as the charms of the fiesty and loveable Bellas spread from teenagers to their moms, brothers and boyfriends. (The Amy Schumer “A Couple Chooses a Movie” skit on guys and “Pitch Perfect” really says it all.)

And, of course, there was the success of “the cup song.” Anna Kendrick’s video of “When I’m Gone” — not even the rendition that appears in the movie — has raked in 200 million views on YouTube. The song is a cultural phenomenon that raised the bar for what we expected from the second movie. (Though it’s worth noting that the song existed long before the first film. Kendrick told David Letterman she found it on Reddit.)

So did the big dollar signs at the box office mean the sequel delivered on the hype? Our critic said yes. Others said meh. And of course someone called it aca-terrible. That probably doesn’t matter though, because “Pitch Perfect 3” is already happening, per comments from Rebel Wilson. But the sequel’s profitable opening weekend might just mean “Pitch Perfect 4” is a realistic endeavor.

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1.”Pitch Perfect 2,” $70.3 million ($26.9 million international).

2.”Mad Max: Fury Road,” $44.4 million ($65 million international).

3.”Avengers: Age of Ultron,” $38.8 million ($185 million international).

4.”Hot Pursuit,” $5.8 million.

5.”Furious 7,” $3.6 million ($6.6 million international).

6.”Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” $3.6 million ($1.7 million international).

7.”The Age of Adaline,” $3.2 million ($1.5 million international).

8.”Home,” $2.7 million ($4.5 million international).

9.”Ex Machina,” $2.1 million ($300,000 international).

10.”Far from the Madding Crowd,” $1.3 million ($828,000 international).

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” $185 million.

2. “Mad Max: Fury Road,” $65 million.

3. “Pitch Perfect 2,” $26.9 million.

4. “Furious 7,” $6.6 million.

5. “Chronicles of Evil,” $6.3 million.

6. “Home,” $4.5 million.

7. “Cinderella,” $3.3 million.

8. “Ostwind 2,” $2 million.

9. “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” $1.7 million.

10. “The Age of Adaline,” $1.5 million.

 


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