'Star Trek' on maximum warp with $24 million Friday

Chris Pine at "Star Trek's" Australian Premiere last month.

Credit: AP Photo/Rick Stevens

After a blazing Thursday night with $7 million, "Star Trek's" fans made for a fantastic Friday with $24 million at the box office, the single biggest day in the franchise's history.  For comparison, 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis" opened to only made $18 million in its first weekend. 

While Paramount Pictures is no doubt overjoyed at the film's first 36 hours, the question is how strong the picture finishes over the weekend.  Many expect the film to play softer on Saturday and Sunday after the hardcore fans make it through.  If that comes to pass, the film may finish closer to $65 million than $75 million you would expect from such a strong start.  The closer the film ends up to the larger number, the more influential reviews and word of mouth have been. 

As expected, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" took a massive hit scratching its way to only $8.5 million for a projected weekend total of $28-30 million.  After such a massive second weekend drop, "Wolverine" will be lucky to hit $190 million when  all is said and done.

Slotting in at No. 3 was "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," with $3.1 million, heading for $10 million for the weekend and around $30 million or so after 10 days.  If the Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner romantic comedy can keep theaters, it could eventually hit $50 million plus which wouldn't be a complete disaster.

Opening in only 1,138 theaters, "Next Day Air" grossed a paltry $1.4 million.  It will be lucky to cume more than $3.5 million for the weekend.  In hindsight, Summit may have been more successful opening the action comedy earlier in the spring instead of trying to be alternative fare against stiffer competition.

Friday's grosses are listed below according to Box Office Mojo.  Look for final results tomorrow on HitFix.

1. "Star Trek," $24 million, $31 million to date.

2. "Wolverine," $8.5 million, $111 million to date.

3. "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," $3.2 million, $22.9 million to date.

4. "Obsessed," $2 million, $51 million to date.

5. "Next Day Air," $1.4 million.

6. "17 Again" $1.2 million, $51 million to date.

7. "The Soloist," $980,000, $20 million to date.

8. "Fighting," $686,000, $19 million to date.

9. "Monsters vs. Aliens," $675,000 million, $184 million to date.

10. "Earth," $670,000, $24.2 million to date.