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People just wanted to almost see Robert Downey Jr.'s junk

Kim Hollis: Sherlock Holmes earned $38.4 million this weekend and has a running total of $140.7 million after ten days in release. Is that more, less, or about what you expected from the film at this point?

Josh Spiegel: At least, this is about what I expected from Sherlock Holmes, as the film is meant to only kickstart another franchise with Robert Downey Jr. Considering the fact that Sherlock has had to head off Avatar from its first day, making just about $150 million in two weeks' time is something Warner Bros. should be happy about. I'm sure they're marking off Christmas Day 2011 as the release date for Sherlock Holmes: Moriarty's Electric Boogaloo.

Reagen Sulewski: I think everyone has to be pretty happy with the results of this. There was probably some potential for a Pirates of the Caribbean situation, but there was more chance of a Wild Wild West thing happening. Probably the toughest thing to do these days is launch a new franchise, and barring something really bizarre (like the rights holders pulling the plug over a statement made by its star on a late night talk show...) we'll get our sequel. It's particularly noteworthy that they held back the series' equivalent of the Joker for the second round.





Kim Hollis: I agree with Reagen that Warner Bros. has to feel this result is exemplary. Christmas is a bit of an odd and risky time to launch a movie that looks so action-y, but the fact that they're got a $150 million+ winner on their hands has to be thrilling. It's a franchise launcher for sure, and even if word-of-mouth isn't glowing to the degree of Avatar, Holmes has generally good buzz. This is something they can build on.

Matthew Huntley: Yes, and I think the studio should be happy with it because the $200 million mark is now within striking distance, which should be more than enough to greenlight a sequel. It did fall faster than other holiday films now in play, but that's normal for an action-adventure movie.

Shalimar Sahota: Robert Downey Jr. has become a more recognizable name since Iron Man and Tropic Thunder and the trailers looked exciting, feeling like a more edgy Indiana Jones. Given the competition it's playing against, this result means that a sequel is certainly in the works.

Michael Lynderey: It is absolutely, overwhelmingly, incalculably hordes more than I ever expected from this film. Somehow, Warner Bros. convinced moviegoers that Sherlock Holmes should be treated like a summer blockbuster in Christmas wrapping, and that idea overcame every hurdle I thought the film would face (including running time, setting, and general weirdness). Most of the movies that open to $60 million or more are CGI, sequels, or heavy special-effects extravaganzas, so to think that Sherlock Holmes has managed to join that club - and in late December, no less - is a credit to its makers.

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