Spidey Sequel Shatters First Day Records

According to Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo.com), Sony Picture’s Spider-Man 2 netted a stunning $40.5 million on Wednesday, claiming the biggest first day take in film history. The first Spider-Man previously held the record with $39.4 million.

The sequel also boasts the biggest Wednesday opening, crushing The Lord of the Rings: The return of the King‘s $34.5 million bow. Eager fans even turned out in droves for midnight screenings, which collected around $5 million Tuesday night.

DreamWork’s animated Shrek 2 still holds the single day record for grossing $44.8 million on its first Saturday, but that benchmark too may fall over the next couple of days as weekend moviegoers seek the web slinger. Spider-Man made his big screen debut in 2002 and enjoyed a staggering $114 million opening weekend.