Fox has had a roller coaster of a ride with their X-Men franchise. Last year the studio released its first R-rated X-men film, Deadpool, to huge acclaim, fan adulation, and a surprising $132 million opening weekend. The movie went on to gross almost $800 million worldwide and even garnered Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture and Actor. The success forced Fox to rethink their PG-13 X-Men strategy and resulted in director James Mangold getting the green light to push the boundaries with a bloody, adult Wolverine adventure.

Fans are approaching the eve of the release of Logan, which will be the final solo film for Hugh Jackman, after a 17-year run wearing the iconic beard and claws. The buzz over the upcoming Wolverine film is loud, as the movie currently sits with a Fresh rating of 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it seems that it's more than critics that are excited about the upcoming comic book film.

The movie is set to debut on March 3 and industry insiders are grabbing their calculators to estimate exactly how much Logan will make in its first weekend of release. The most recent box-office projection comes courtesy of  The Wrap, who researched several industry trackers, before settling on an estimated $80 million opening for the R-rated adventure.

If the projections hold up, an $80 million weekend would be impressive for the R-rated  film. However, it would be only the second biggest opening in the Wolverine series, as X-Men Origins: Wolverine had a huge $85 million opening in 2009. Regardless, Logan has the potential to have more legs than perhaps any other film in the series, due to its early calendar release and the immensely positive reaction from critics.  That will likely attract an audience that doesn't typically gravitate toward the comic book genre. Industry projections are based on a variety of factors including advanced ticket sales, social media buzz, and the given film's marketing reach. It's even possible that Logan could have an even larger opening than estimated.

The movie is set in the near future in a time when mutants are on the brink of extinction. It follows an aging Wolverine care taking for an elderly Professor X (Patrick Stewart) who is suffering from crippling dementia somewhere in the Southwest. Wolverine discovers that a new mutant, who shares more than a passing resemblance to the reluctant hero, needs his help and the mutant loner is drawn into a final exciting, yet emotional journey.

Next: Logan Could Get A Black & White Version

Source: The Wrap