Video: 'Spider-Man' swings to No. 1 past 'Katy Perry,' 'Savages'

By Amy Kaufman

"The Amazing Spider-Man" was the hero of the box office this weekend, swinging to the No. 1 position past a new documentary about Katy Perry and Oliver Stone's gritty "Savages."

The 3-D superhero flick starring Andrew Garfield debuted Tuesday and proceeded to gross $140 million during its first six days in theaters, according to an estimate from distributor Sony Pictures. The weekend's other debuts got off to less impressive starts: The drug cartel drama "Savages" collected a decent $16.2 million and "Katy Perry: A Part of Me" made only $7.2 million over the weekend.

The solid launch for the new Spidey flick likely eased any concern that Sony had about rebooting the popular franchise. In 2010, the studio scrapped a planned fourth installment starring Tobey Maguire that was to be directed by Sam Raimi. Instead, executives decided on a risky new creative direction that centered on the superhero's high school days -- a plot line similar to the one in the original "Spider-Man," which launched only a decade ago.

For more on how the web-slinger was received at the multiplex, check out this weekend's box office video report.

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Follow Amy Kaufman on Twitter @AmyKinLA