SPIDER-MAN 3 BREAKS MOVIE RECORD

SPIDER-MAN 3 BREAKS MOVIE RECORD

May 7, 2007 - SPIDER-MAN caught just about everyone in his web. The superhero's latest adventure, "SPIDER-MAN 3," smashed box-office records with $148 million in its first three days, according to studio estimates Sunday. That put it ahead of the previous record debut of $135.6 million set last summer by "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."

SPIDER-MAN™ is Stern's newest pinball machine being released this month. Stern is also producing the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN pinball machine. 

With $59.3 million on opening day Friday, Sony's "SPIDER-MAN 3" broke the single-day box-office record, also held by "Dead Man's Chest" with $55.8 million in its first day.

Since it began rolling out overseas on Tuesday, "SPIDER-MAN 3" has taken in $227 million in foreign markets, bringing the film's worldwide total to $375 million. In just days, the movie has grossed $117 million more than its whopping $258 million production budget.

In just two days, it also nearly matched the $114.8 million opening weekend of 2002's "SPIDER-MAN," which had held the debut record until "Dead Man's Chest" opened.

"SPIDER-MAN 3" reunites director Sam Raimi, who also made the previous two installments, and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

"Sam Raimi is a genius," said Amy Pascal, Sony Pictures co-chairman. "I could have never envisioned this. What I was hoping was we would just break the 'SPIDER-MAN 1' record. This is beyond my wildest dream." 

The overall box office soared from "SPIDER-MAN 3," with the top-12 movies taking in $176.6 million, up 77 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when "Mission: Impossible III" opened with $47.7 million.

"SPIDER-MAN 3" outdid that movie by $100 million and grossed more in each of its first two days than "Mission: Impossible III" did over the full weekend.

Also among the records smashed by "SPIDER-MAN 3" was a $4.8 million domestic gross at huge-screen IMAX theaters, topping the previous best of $3.6 million set by "300" in March.

Playing in a record 4,252 locations domestically, "SPIDER-MAN 3" averaged a whopping $34,807 a theater.

Domestically, "SPIDER-MAN 3" could enter its second weekend Friday with $200 million already in the bank. The film has the market largely to itself for the next week and a half, with no major competition arriving until DreamWorks Animation's "Shrek the Third" arrives May 18.

With "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and an onslaught of other potential blockbusters following, studio executives predict this could be a record summer for modern Hollywood.

The SPIDER-MAN™ pinball machine will begin shipping in May 2007. Click to view our SPIDER-MAN Pinball Page.

To get your own Stern SPIDER-MAN™ Pinball Machine, contact your nearest Stern Distributor.  You can also contact Jolly Backer at 708-786-7039 or by email.   You also contact Shelley Sax at 708-786-7030 or by email. 

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About SPIDER-MAN™ 3
Columbia Pictures' SPIDER-MAN™ 3 reunites the cast and filmmakers from the first two blockbuster adventures for a web of excitement that will transport worldwide audiences to thrilling new heights on May 4, 2007.

In SPIDER-MAN™ 3, based on the legendary Marvel Comics series, Peter Parker has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a superhero. But there is a storm brewing on the horizon. When hisSPIDER-MAN suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it transforms Peter as well. Under the influence of the suit, Peter becomes prideful and overconfident and he begins to neglect the ones he cares about the most. As two of the most-feared villains yet, Sandman and Venom, gather unparalleled power and a thirst for retribution, Peter's greatest battle is the one within himself. SPIDER-MAN will need to rediscover the compassion that makes him who he is: a hero. 

Columbia Pictures Presents A Marvel Studios/Laura Ziskin Production SPIDER-MAN™ 3 starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, James Cromwell, Rosemary Harris, and J.K. Simmons. The film is directed by Sam Raimi. The screenplay is by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent and the screen story by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi and based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The producers are Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Grant Curtis. The executive producers are Stan Lee, Kevin Feige, and Joseph M. Caracciolo.

About Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Spider-Man Merchandising, LP
Spider-Man Merchandising, LP, the limited partnership comprised of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc., oversees the licensing and merchandising activities for Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man™ feature films and animated series all based on the Marvel character. 

Spider-Man and related characters: TM & ©Marvel Characters, Inc. Spider-Man 3, the Movie: ©2007 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved.