'Watchmen' grosses $4.6 mil at midnight shows

Watchmen brought in $4.6 million from midnight screenings that took place early Friday, according to Media by Numbers. Zack Snyder’s anticipated adaptation of Alan Moore’s landmark comic played at midnight last night in 1,595 theaters nationwide, including 124 IMAX presentations, all of which sold out (forcing the addition of about 20 screenings at 3 a.m.). By comparison, Snyder’s last violent comic-book epic, 300, grossed $2.5 mil in the same sort of early showings two years ago; it went on to bank $70.9 mil over the course of its first weekend. The R-rated Watchmen opens today around the world.

While a fair weekend projection can’t be based on that early $4.6 mil figure, it’s certainly safe to say that the movie is off to a very good start. Check back on EW.com all weekend for box office updates and analysis.

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