'The Amazing Spider-Man,' starring Andrew Garfield in the role played by Tobey Maguire in three earlier installments, started strong with $7.5 million in midnight sales on Tuesday and remained so through the U.S. Independence Day holiday and the weekend. The 3D film has so far snared $140 million during its domestic run, distributor Sony Pictures said.
The film has generated $341.2 million overall, in both the domestic market and 70 other markets in which it has opened worldwide.
Of its worldwide total, more than $24 million has come from showings in IMAX wide-screen theaters, according to Imax.
Earlier in the week, Sony had forecast domestic ticket sales of $130 million for the first six days.
The movie reboots the modern film series that began with 2002's 'Spider-Man' and whose three movies netted around $2.5 billion at global box offices for its makers, Marvel Studios and distributor Sony Pictures.
After those earlier films, Sony cut the budget for its fourth installment and replaced Maguire with Garfield, who played a supporting role in Facebook movie 'The Social Network.'
Skeptics in Hollywood wondered if it was too soon to remake the franchise, but Sony's gamble paid off with big ticket sales and an upbeat reception from critics. Seventy-three percent of reviews compiled on website Rotten Tomatoes recommended the movie.
The film follows Spider-Man alter-ego Peter Parker in high school as he turns into a crime-fighting superhero. Emma Stone plays his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy.
The new 'Spider-Man' cost about $215 million to produce, plus tens of millions more for marketing. The film is Sony's second big-budget hit this summer, following the success of alien comedy 'Men in Black 3' in May.
The studio's next major release, sci-fi remake 'Total Recall,' reaches theaters in August.
Last week's winner, comedy 'Ted' about a man and his foul-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear, slipped to second place with domestic sales of $32.6 million from Friday through Sunday. Directed by 'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane, 'Ted' has earned $120.2 million domestically since its debut a week ago.
The No. 3 slot went to 'Brave,' an animated fairy tale from Walt Disney Co's Pixar studio. The movie about a rebellious, red-haired Scottish princess grabbed $20.1 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters. That brings its domestic ticket sales to $174.5 million.
Oliver Stone's new movie, 'Savages,' rung up $16.2 million in its opening weekend, finishing in fourth place.
Based on a novel by Don Winslow, the blood-splattered R-rated film tells the story of two pot-growing friends who face off with members of a Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
The 'Savages' cast includes Salma Hayek, Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta and Taylor Kitsch, the star of this year's two big box-office flops - 'John Carter' and 'Battleship.'
In fifth place, male striptease movie 'Magic Mike' racked up $15.6 million. The movie starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey has brought in $72.8 million domestically since last week's debut.
Universal and privately-held Relativity Media produced 'Savages' for about $45 million. Universal had predicted weekend sales of about $10 million.
The weekend's other new wide release, documentary 'Katy Perry: Part of Me,' finished in the No. 8 spot with $7.1 million at domestic theaters.
After opening on Thursday in the United States, it has sold $10.3 million worth of tickets in its four-day domestic run.
The movie gives a behind-the-scenes look at the life of the colorful pop star. Paramount Pictures spent $12 million on production, and had predicted a four-day tally in the low- to mid-teens.
Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, released 'Katy Perry.' 'Savages' and 'Ted' were distributed by Universal Pictures, a division of Comcast Corp. Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. studio released 'Magic Mike.'
(Reporting By Ronald Grover and Lisa Richwine; Editing by Paul Simao)
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