“Transformers: Age of Extinction” is ruling the box office.
The fourth installment in filmmaker Michael Bay s morphing robots series earned $100 million in North America during its opening weekend, making it the biggest debut for a movie this year, according to studio estimates Sunday, bumping
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and its $95 million debut.
The Paramount blockbuster also earned $201.3 million from 37 international territories, specifically making $90 million in China, where “Age of Extinction” was partially filmed and co-produced by partners like state-owned China Film Group.
“Age of Extinction” stars Mark Wahlberg and Nicola Peltz as a human father and daughter who aid the shape-shifting robots from the Hasbro toy franchise. The sequel introduces the popular Transformers based on the likenesses of dinosaurs.
“I think putting Mark Wahlberg front and center accomplished what we wanted to do, and that s re-energize the franchise,” Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore said. “He appeals to audiences, both critically and as an action star.”
“Age of Extinction” topped the previous entry in the series, “Dark of the Moon,” which took in $97.8 million during its opening weekend in 2011, but failed to eclipse the $108.9 million debut of the second film, “Revenge of the Fallen.”
