Universal’s Fifty Shades of Grey continued to exceed expectations on Sunday for a potent $94.4 million domestic debut over the long Presidents Day weekend, shattering several records and putting the film’s global total at a massive $266.4 million through Monday.
That includes $85 million for the three-day weekend, eclipsing the $83.8 million launch of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ to mark the biggest opening ever for the month of February, not accounting for inflation. It’s also the biggest Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day gross of all time, and the No. 3 opening for an R-rated title. The record-holder is the R-rated The Matrix Reloaded, which posted a three-day debut of $91.8 million in 2003.
