Friday auds make a date with '2012'

Global cume for Emmerich pics stands at $82 million

By ANTHONY D'ALESSANDRO

Moviegoers around the globe stormed their way to the multiplex yesterday, shelling out close to $60 million for Roland Emmerich’s disaster pic "2012"and giving the helmer his highest opening day ever at the domestic box office with $23.7 million.

Should that stateside estimate hold up, "2012," will inch out Emmerich’s previous opening day record for 2004’s "The Day After Tomorrow" which clocked in at $23.5 million. In play at 3,404 theaters, "2012" also marked the second best first day for a Sony release outside the summer season, following last November's "Quantum of Solace" which generated $27 million.

The final three-day weekend for "Tomorrow,"which unspooled over the Memorial Day frame, was $68.7 million.

Booked in 58 territories abroad, "2012" reeled in $36 million on Friday, putting its international total at an estimated $58.4 million and its worldwide tally at $82.1 million.

After a soft opening weekend, "Disney’s A Christmas Carol"slipped 38% from its opening day a week ago, grossing $5.6 million off 3,683 in second. The current B.O. for the motion capture film starring Jim Carrey stands at $46.6 million.

Placing third, Overture Films' "The Men Who Stare at Goats" took $1.95 million off 2,453, down 58% in its second Friday for an eight-day cume of $19.2 million.

Lionsgate’s expansion of "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire" surged over two fold from its limited bow a week ago in 18 locales, reaping $1.92 million from 174. The Lee Daniels drama currently counts a domestic B.O. of $4.7 million.

Universal’s sci-fi thriller "The Fourth Kind" landed fifth at the onset of its sophomore sesh with $1.8 million, down 65% on 2,530 and a running B.O. of $17.6 million.

Focus Features’ Blighty comedy "Pirate Radio" fell outside the top 10 with $882,000 from 882 for a per site of $1,000.

Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated film "Fantastic Mr. Fox" from Fox Searchlight drew $72,000 from four sites for a boffo theater average of $17,880. Lending their voices to "Mr. Fox" are George Clooney in the title role and Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox as well as other thesps from Anderson’s cinematic repertoire including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Willem Dafoe.