Margot Robbie’s Birds of Prey flew to $4 million on Thursday night in North America.The figure matches the preview gross for 2018’s Ocean’s 8 and is comparable to the Thursday night earnings for Ready Player One, with $3.8 million.
Birds of Prey, a spinoff of 2016’s Suicide Squad, is on pace to earn $50 million to $55 million when it touches down in 4,236 theaters this weekend. Warner Bros. has been projecting an opening closer to $45 million.
Robbie stars as Harley Quinn in the eighth entry in the DC Extended Universe. Officially titled “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn),” the film also stars Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ella Jay Basco and Ewan McGregor. The story centers on the titular vigilante teaming up with superheroes Huntress (Winstead), Black Canary (Smollett-Bell) and Renee Montoya (Perez) to save Cassandra Cain (Basco) from the crime lord Black Mask (McGregor).
Birds of Prey is directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson. Robbie, who originated the idea, is a producer, along with Bryan Unkeless and Sue Kroll. The film carries a reported $80 million price tag.
