'X-Men: First Class' in position for first place against 'Hangover 2'

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The reboot of Marvel's successful ‘X-Men' franchise, X-Men: First Class, starring James McAvoy ( Atonement) and Michael Fassbender ( Inglourious Basterds), is expected to hit screens with force with weekend and collect a strong $69 million in the US, according to BoxOffice.com.

This prequel, an origin story directed by Matthew Vaughn ( Kick-Ass), follows Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr before they became Professor X and Magneto, as they discover their powers and their rivalry begins.

Also co-starring January Jones ( Mad Men) as Emma Frost and Jennifer Lawrence ( Winter's Bone) as Raven/Mystique, the mutants.

This fifth installment follows X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine which have collected more than $1.5 billion worldwide, and is positioned as the only major film releasing internationally from June 1-3, but for Germany, Greece and Japan where it opens June 9 to 11.

X-Men: First Class is receiving a 98 percent positive rating from reviews posted on aggregate website, RottenTomatoes.com and Boxoffice.com's WebWatch states that comic superhero tale leads with a 23 percent share of online opinions for unreleased films.

According to online ticket outlet Fandango, X-Men: First Class is pulling 21 percent of daily ticket sales. As of June 1, The Hangover 2 still held 31 percent of sales, but is expected to drop as the weekend draws closer.

The Hangover Part II could see a drop to $37 million in North America after it's grossed $205 million worldwide, per BoxOffice.com estimates. Kung Fu Panda 2 might earn $26 million and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides could bring in under $20 million in its third week.

Internationally, the ‘Pirates' blockbuster, starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz, collected $256.3 million over the first weekend and $122.8 million the next, but could finally drop another 50 percent to $60 million, leaving room for X-Men: First Class to dominate worldwide.

‘X-Men' trailer

RC