“Guardians of the Galaxy” is in a box office universe of its own.

Marvel-Disney’s sci-fi actioner opened to $37.8 million Stateside on Friday. It looks to sky-rocket to $92 million-plus this weekend, which would crush the record for August’s top debut, currently held by “The Bourne Ultimatum’s” $69.3 million launch in 2007. With the pic originally tracking for $65 million, this showing was far from unexpected.

The blockbuster also has the widest August opening in history, playing in 4,080 theaters (about 3,200 in 3D).

Only five movies have opened above $90 million this year — Paramount’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” with $100 million, Marvel-Disney’s “Captain America: The Winter soldier” with $95 million, Warner-Legendary’s “Godzilla” with $93 million, Sony’s “Amazing Spider-Man 2″ with $91.6 million, and Fox’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” with $90.8 million.

“Guardians” had the highest Thursday opening of the year earlier this week with $11.2 million, overtaking the “Captain America” sequel, which earned $10.2 million in April.

The movie has already reeled in $11 million overseas, including $3.5 million in Russia, $2.3 million in the U.K. and Ireland, and $1.6 million from a handful of South and Central American countries.

The intergalactic pic about a rag-tag group of heroes cost $170 million to produce. It’s directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper (the voice of Rocket) and Vin Diesel (the voice of Groot). A sequel has already been slated for July 28, 2017.

Following the “Avengers” bump, “Guardians” is continuing Marvel’s stellar track record of boffo openings. Marvel pics have collectively grossed $6.3 billion since 2008’s “Iron Man,” making it the most successful film franchise after “Harry Potter.” “Guardians” will hopefully lift the summer box office, which is down more than 20% from 2013.

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Jarmel said:

I have never ever heard of this team before.  I imagine nobody from the mainstream has either.

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Skiesofwonder said:

Me either. *shrugs*

Who the hell are these people(?), and why should I care?

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Red_Man said:

Me neither. The name sounds like it was created by a child.

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bengraven said:

...really?  They don't have enough potential AAA Marvel properties to play off of?

Well, I guess since so many of their franchises are in other studios' hands...

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Hawkian said:

The day I see Rocket Raccoon onscreen is the day I believe this.

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OTIX said:

Are we seriously discussing a major motion picture with a character called "Rocket Raccoon"? I feel like I'm taking crazy-pills here.

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Razgriz-Specter said:

I know people are going to disagree with me but
I think this will bomb big time.

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SlowRevolution said:

this is going to be Marvel's Green Lantern

I'll still watch for Chris Pratt.

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pants said:

I have a sneaky suspicion this is going to be the first Marvel movie to bomb, or at least come in way under normal Marvel money.

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DerZuhälter;86029786 said:

No one wants to see a CG racoon.

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Razgriz-Specter said:

I really think this movie is going to underperform.

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Violater said:

This is going to bomb so hard.

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shuri said:

This is going to megabomb. holy crap it looks like some sort of parody sci-fi film

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Kuroyume said:

Christ that looks bad. Is that a Na'vi I see in the first pic?

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PhoenixDark said:

It's a big budget sci fi film based on some shit nobody has heard of, that almost certainly won't appeal to a female audience. Of course it's going to bomb.

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Allforce said:

This has Scott Pilgrim-level flop written all over it.  Extreme Internet and geek hype but little mainstream attention which could translate to a 15 million dollar opening weekend.

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TheUsual said:

Guardians of the Galaxy

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Angry Grimace said:

Its going to be Guardians of the Galaxy.

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Ahasverus said:

Guardians of The Galaxy.

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Guevara said:

Yeah.

What even is this? Looks like some off-brand kids show and one of them is a raccoon and another is a tree.

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ReturnOfTheRAT said:

Jupiter and Guardians fit the bill at this time. The latter having a ton of pressure because it will be something that all studios look at when thinking about producing an out there comic book movie.

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See You Next Wednesday said:

Ted was the highest grossing R rated comedy of all time.

The bombs will be Jupiter Ascending, which will hopefully finally end the Wachowski brothers careers & probably Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvels first mega bomb.

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To Far Away Times said:

Tom Cruise, Malificent and Guardians of the Galaxy

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Anbokr said:

This one. Unless it gets 90%+ rotten tomatoes or insane word of mouth, I don't see it making that much, 350 mil at most.

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sleepykyo said:

I feel like maleficient will attract females to it. Edge of tomorrow on the other hand feels like a knock off super hero movie in time where there are plenty better choices to choose from.

and GotG needs a better trailer if it doesn't want to bomb.

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Blastoise said:

Guardians will be the new Scott Pilgrim.

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IncandescentPrecept said:

Nopes, GotG will barely break the 500M mark.

Edge of Tomorrow will be the biggest flop.

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inm8num2 said:

GOTG will probably do something in the $150m - $175m range.

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Timeaisis said:

Based on what? The Marvel brand alone?

I think it'll do well, but I hardly think it'll be "huge".

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super-heated plasma said:

I want to like GOTG, but here's my problem....

It's a FUCKING RACOON! I just can't take it seriously, at all. I know its a comedy of sorts, but its also supposed to fit in the same universe as Captain America: TWS and Iron Man. Am I the only one having a really hard time picturing RDJ's Tony Stark talking to a raccoon, without it be eyeball roll inducing?

I mean, it's a RACOON. I'm picturing Rocket sitting around the table on the Helicarrier with the Avengers, and man does it seem dumb. Oh well, still hope the movie is fun, regardless.

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FusionCode said:

I'm thinking GOTG will end up like Pacific Rim. Lots of internet hype but not much outside of that.

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Sapiens said:

Galaxy guardians. That current trailer is terrible and john c Reilly won't be able to carry it.

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WaffleTaco said:

Guardians of the Galaxy will bomb, it just looks so bad. All of my friends who are pretty big marvel comic fans say its terrible and the other friends who just like the marvel movies says it looks terrible. The main guy also looks like a non-funny skinner Seth Rogen that is trying to be funny, plus the racoon is just a bad idea. Who is this movie for? The edge of tomorrow also looks bad, but Tom Cruise probabky sells, Herclues could go either way.

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Scullibundo said:

Some of the effects work in the latest Guardians trailer looks super fucking cheap.

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RustyNails said:

Guardians of Galaxy has stink bomb written all over it.

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Cipherr said:

Guardians of the Galaxy gonna tank so haaaaaaaaaaaaard baby.

Public aint ready to go watch talking racoons and trees and shit. At least not the way GotG has been advertised. This shits gonna brick like crazy.

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RustyNails said:

Yeah I think GoTG is also a contender for flop. But there's that Marvel logo and it had big explosions in the trailer, so who knows.

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Not Spaceghost said:

I'm putting a vote in for Guardians of the Galaxy.
It might do fine, but I think it will be far below marvels expectations.

I am fully ready to eat crow on this though, but I could see it turning out like Scott Pilgrim.

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Cipherr said:

Public aint ready to go watch talking racoons and trees and shit. At least not the way GotG has been advertised. This shits gonna brick like crazy.

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Zeliard said:

Did people not learn from the blue alien cat-people?

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Ryo Hazuki said:

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freenudemacusers said:

oh yeah well what if it stop making money next week

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CarpeDeezNutz said:

Lmao is that the biggest wall of shame ever made?!

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CarpeDeezNutz said:

Lmao is that the biggest wall of shame ever made?!

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Prologue said:

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Kusagari said:

Please tell me why the hell my quote is in there?

Whoever I was replying to, don't remember, was saying Guardians would be like Scott Pilgrim and I said Guardians would gross more it's first week than Scott Pilgrim did lifetime.

How does that entail me eating crow?

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Kusagari said:

Please tell me why the hell my quote is in there?

Whoever I was replying to, don't remember, was saying Guardians would be like Scott Pilgrim and I said Guardians would gross more it's first week than Scott Pilgrim did lifetime.

How does that entail me eating crow?

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Darklord said:

Comic books or not it looked like a super fun sci-fi movie and a lot more interesting than yet another Captain America or Iron Man. I really love the poster for it too, it kinda reminds me of Star Wars in a way.

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Kusagari said:

Please tell me why the hell my quote is in there?

Whoever I was replying to, don't remember, was saying Guardians would be like Scott Pilgrim and I said Guardians would gross more it's first week than Scott Pilgrim did lifetime.

How does that entail me eating crow?

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zero_suit said:

Biggest crow eating of all time.

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Zeliard said:

Avatar is going to have a bigger opening than people expect. The word-of-mouth rumbling has already begun. It'll soon turn into a roar. The film will be the "can't-miss" event of the holidays and a lot of people are going to want to see it as soon as they can so they can be a part of the excitement.

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Zeliard said:

I really don't think it's as a big a deal as you and others are making it seem. We all desperately want to see a trailer, but the "general public" will go see if based solely on it being a rare James Cameron film, and the pretty 3D visuals. They aren't that hard to appease. It probably would not have hurt if they had started marketing it earlier, but I don't think it's necessary other than to appease people like us.

Again, I'm having a very difficult time seeing this movie struggling at the box office. It's going to be gigantic. Is it going to be good? That's what remains to be seen, and that's the big question mark at this point.

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Zeliard said:

Buncha pessimists.

If the movie does live up to the hype and sets a new standard for film-making tech, people will go see it in droves even if they have no idea what it is right now. These sorts of huge tech undertakings are often seen as a big can't-miss event, ala Jurassic Park.

If it's your typical 3D movie, then I'd agree that it may not do that well. If it's something more, it will be huge. It isn't just Cameron's name that will do it, but even moreso the type of movie it potentially is.

I'll eat some crow if it bombs at the box office. I just really don't see that happening.

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Rooster12 said:

They left out my favorite GOTG character though....

Ironically he has Cap's shield

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