NEW YORK • The Little Monsters - fans of Lady Gaga - had reportedly written bad reviews of Venom, recognising its toxic box-office threat to A Star Is Born, which stars the singer and Bradley Cooper.
No one is sure if that intervention had any impact, but both movies soared past box-office forecasts for their shared opening weekend.
Superhero movie Venom, starring Tom Hardy and projected by analysts to gross US$65 million (S$90 million) to US$70 million, nabbed a record-breaking US$80 million.
A Star Is Born, whose estimates sat at US$30 million, earned US$42.6 million.
Together, the two films contributed to the best October weekend in North American history, according to Variety.
Venom also smashed the record Gravity previously held for the highest-ever October opening, with the 2013 film earning US$55.8 million.
Animated movie Smallfoot finished third with US$14.4 million, followed by comedy Night School, with US$12.3 million.
REUTERS, WASHINGTON POST