'X-Men: First Class' grabs $3.4 million at midnight

Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" did pretty well at the box office last night, because the 20th Century Fox prequel grabbed a satisfying $3.4 million from midnight shows, which is very close to the $3.3 million "Thor" grabbed when it opened.

It will be pretty interesting to see how the film performs, considering it's a prequel and isn't filled with big-name actors. I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard great things. I also encourage you to read our writer Danny's excellent review right here.

By the way, "X-Men: First Class" is now playing at 3,641 theaters. It could fetch as much as $65 million this weekend. Who out there will see it this weekend?

Movie Review: 'X-Men: First Class'

Seen on: May 31, 2011

The players: Director: Matthew Vaughn, Writers: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goodman, Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne

Facts of interest: Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy both appeared in “Band of Brothers.”

The plot: The origin of the superhero team, the X-Men, is told against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Our thoughts: The “X-Men” has been one of the most popular series of comic books in the Marvel cannon for decades. The popularity skyrocketed when Bryan Singer (director of “The Usual Suspects”) turned the comic stories into two of the most successful and highly regarded superhero movies of the past few years.

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This week's new movie releases - June 3, 2011

It is time for another week with only one major release. Seems a bit weird considering it's the summer season, but then again, this film is bound for box office success. Of course, I am talking about Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class," which drops this Friday!

"First Class" is the anticipated "X-Men" prequel that follows Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) as he starts up a school and later a team for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), his best friend and future archenemy.

Expectations for this one are high, but photos and trailers have been incredibly promising. Plus, I have no problem putting all my faith into Matthew Vaughn. He's a dab hand at directing superbly entertaining flicks loaded with strong charaacters and intriguing stories.

Watch this new 'X-Men: First Class' clip

Matthew Vaughn's anticipated "X-Men: First Class" action adventure is set to open in theaters June 3, 2011, and Yahoo! just released a new clip from the prequel chronicling the beginning of Charles Xavier and Magneto. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence lead an all-star cast.

This particular clip, which you can check out after the jump, introduces viewers to Hank McCoy, also known as Beast (played by Nicholas Hoult). And is it only me or does Jennifer Lawrence looks pretty good as Raven Darkholme? Anyway, see for yourself.

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Trailer for 'X-Men: First Class' now online

The teaser trailer for Matthew Vaughn's upcoming "X-Men" prequel "X-Men: First Class" is now online, and you can admire it right after the jump. It's a short teaser only, but I admit it looks pretty good. I expected to see a bit more action, but this definitely gives us a good first look at the characters and look of the flick.

"First Class," which opens June 3, 2011, focuses on what was going on with Professor X and Magneto when they were close friends. Michael Fassbender plays Magneto, and James McAvoy is X. Also starring are January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Rose Byrne. With Vaughn behind the camera, I'm sure this one will deliver.

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'X-Men:First Class' logo, trailer news

Okay then, let me start with the trailer news: if you want a first look at Matthew Vaughn's upcpoming "X-Men: First Class" movie, check out the film's Facebook page tomorrow, because that's where it will debut. No kidding. Anyone else pretty excited about how this will look like?

Anyway, EW posted a brand-new image from the movie as well, and it's posted above for your viewing pleasure. It's a shot of Magneto (Michael Fassbender) doing his thing. Co-starring in the flick are James McAvoy, January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Rose Byrne ("Damages").

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New 'X-Men: First Class' details emerge

Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" is just about to head into production, and Bryan Singer, producer on the film, gave AICN some hot new details. Here's a big one: the film will take place in the 1960s.

"John F Kennedy is the President of the United States. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are on TV doing marches. There is a spirit of a hopeful future that was prevalent in that time," he told AICN.

Also, he mentioned that Xavier will not be in a wheelchair, although we will get to see what happened. And in terms of costumes, they "will be far more comic bookish than we've seen before."

ason Flemyng, Bill Milner, Morgan Lily, Zoe Kravitz, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Edi Gathegi, Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence star in the film, which opens June 3, 2011.

January Jones boards 'X-Men: First Class'

January Jones is the latest to join the big cast of Matthew Vaughn's upcoming action adventure "X-Men: First Class," the 20th Century Fox project that is currently on track for a release June 3, 2011.

Variety says Jones is all set to play Emma Frost in the film. Michael Fassbender is on board to play the man who will eventually become Magneto, while James McAvoy plays a young Charles Xavier.

The cast, which has been growing fast, includes Jason Flemyng, Bill Milner, Morgan Lily, Zoe Kravitz, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Edi Gathegi, Nicholas Hoult, Caleb Landry Jones and Jennifer Lawrence.

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'Kick-Ass' leads Friday box office with $7M

Matthew Vaughn's "Kick-Ass" didn't exactly kick butt at the North American box office Friday. The Lionsgate release based on the comic by Mark Millar only bagged $7.6 million from ticket sales at 3,065 locations, and that's a lot less than box office analysts predicted. It's shame, because the film is fantastic.

Starring Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz and Nicolas Cage, among others, the film follows a teenager trying to spice uo his life by becoming a costumed vigilante. "Kick-Ass" generated a lot of buzz prior to its theatrical release, but the action-packed movie only scored an average of $2,480 per theater.

Debuting in second place with $5.6 million was Neil LaBute's remake of "Death of a Funeral," which Screen Gems released at 2,459 locations. Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence star in the comedy about a family's misadventures during a funeral ceremony. The film scored an average of $2,277 per theater.

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Movie Review: 'Kick-Ass'

Seen on: April 7, 2010

The players: Director: Matthew Vaughn, Writers: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Cast: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Chloe Moretz, Nicolas Cage

Facts of interest: Based on the comic by Mark Millar (illustrated by John Romita)

The plot: Tells the story of Dave, a teenager who decides to become a superhero in order to make his life more interesting.

Our thoughts: Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” is a masterpiece. There, I said it. It’s a film that explodes onto the big screen and pulls you right into the middle of the most awesome action, and it barely gives you a minute to breathe. It’s a thrilling ride from start to finish, and truth be told, it totally blew my socks off. I’ve seen it twice already, and I’m still as stoked about it as ever.

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