Michael Bay’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon earned approximately $21 million at the domestic box office on Thursday. Through the film’s first two days and change in theaters, it has amassed $64.5 million domestically, and $32.5 million internationally after one day.
Despite a boost from 3D and IMAX screens, Transformers: Dark of the Moon trails the hot start its predecessor Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen earned. That film opened to $62 million its first day in theaters without a 3D boost. Transformers: Dark of the Moon opened to $37.32 million on Wednesday following a special Tuesday evening IMAX 3D sneak preview.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Warner’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 are being closed watched for how well their 3D versions perform after a recent lull in the 3D market. On its opening day, approximately 60 percent of Transformers: Dark of the Moon screenings were in 3D. That’s down from the 70 percent mark that Tuesday midnight showings tallied, and a sign that 3D share could retract through the holiday weekend.
The biggest challenge for Transformers: Dark of the Moon is whether word-of-mouth can give it a holiday boost. As with the previous Transformers films, the Rotten Tomatoes score is nothing to be proud of (37 percent fresh). It will ultimately be up to audiences who must decide whether it’s worth the price of admission or passed on until its Blu-ray and DVD release later this year.
