‘Transformers’ poised to gross $190 million by Sunday

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It looks like scathing reviews aren’t equaling bad buzz among regular moviegoers for ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.’

The Michael Bay-directed event film showed solid momentum at the box office on Friday, earning $36.7 million. Total domestic ticket sales after just three days are a booming $126 million.

If the big crowds that turned out Wednesday disliked ‘Transformers’ as much as most critics, the movie’s gross likely wouldn’t have grown by 28% from Thursday to Friday.

Based on the most recent numbers and the estimates of executives who closely analyze box office, it appears that “Transformers” will gross around $190 million through Sunday at the U.S. and Canadian box office. That would be the highest five-day take ever for a film opening on a Wednesday by a very healthy margin.

It’s now possible, albeit unlikely, that “Transformers” could beat the all-time biggest five-day performance of $203.7 million, earned last year by the “The Dark Knight.”

Up-to-date foreign grosses weren’t released by Paramount, which spent about $200 million to produce “Revenge of the Fallen.” But the sequel to 2007’s hit took in $58.5 million overseas through Wednesday and will likely earn roughly about as much from international markets by Sunday as it does domestically.

Warner Bros.’ “My Sister’s Keeper,” the only other new film in wide release this weekend, grossed $5.1 million on Friday. That sets the modestly budgeted tearjerker up for a decent weekend performance between $13 million and $15 million, in line with expectations.

The adaptation of the bestselling Jodi Picoult novel came in No. 4 at the box office on Friday, behind Disney’s “The Proposal” and Warner Bros.’ “The Hangover.’

-- Ben Fritz