Nov. 06--Christopher Nolan's space epic "Interstellar" had a promising launch at the box office with early showings.
The film, which goes up against Disney's animated film "Big Hero 6" this weekend, pulled in $1.35 million in its early limited release, according to estimates.
Tracking suggests "Big Hero 6" could open to up to $60 million, putting it slightly ahead of the roughly $55 million forecast for "Interstellar," according to people who have seen pre-release audience surveys.
If both films debut to more than $50 million apiece in the same weekend, it would be the fourth time in box office history such a feat has been accomplished.
Co-financed by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., "Interstellar" cost about $165 million to make.
Paramount began releasing "Interstellar" in select theaters Tuesday night. Advance showings of the space drama will play on 240 film-only screens -- including 70-mm Imax, 70-mm and 35-mm -- in 77 markets across the U.S. and Canada before expanding to more theaters.
Nolan's almost three-hour film follows Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), an engineer and pilot who has been called on to find a hospitable new planet because Earth is turning into a giant dust bowl.
According to Fandango, the nation's largest online ticket company, "Interstellar" is outselling Nolan's 2010 thriller "Inception" and last year's space drama "Gravity."
In October 2013, Alfonso Cuar 3-D space drama "Gravity" opened with a robust $55.6 million.
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UPDATE
10:18 a.m.: This story has been updated to reflect a new estimated gross for "Interstellar's" debut.
