SUPERHEROIC BOX OFFICE FOR ‘SPIDER-MAN 2’

“Spider-Man 2” is casting an even bigger box office net than its blockbuster predecessor and is on pace to cross the $200-million mark faster than any other movie.

The Peter Parker sequel grossed $40.5 million in its first full day of release in U.S. theaters Wednesday, Sony Pictures Entertainment said Thursday. Sony’s original “Spider-Man,” released in 2002, had ticket sales of $39.4 million in its first day at the multiplex and ultimately grossed $403.7 million, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of all time (although “Shrek 2” will pass it this weekend).

“People really, really like the movie,” said Amy Pascal, chairwoman of Sony’s motion picture group. “We didn’t overhype it but made people want to see it.”

As with nearly every milestone, the “Spider-Man 2” grosses require some explanation. Last year’s “Matrix Reloaded” claimed the best opening day, with ticket sales of $42.5 million. But those figures included about $5 million in preview screenings held late the previous night.

Sony says the 4,152 theaters showing “Spider-Man 2” were forbidden to start screenings until 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, meaning that all of the film’s $40.5 receipts were generated in a single day. Sony sold an estimated $5 million in tickets at those predawn screenings.

Rival studios estimated Thursday that “Spider-Man 2” could surpass $200 million in overall sales by the end of the day Monday. Sony declined to comment on those projections.

The first “Spider-Man” holds the record as the quickest movie to surpass the $200-million mark, eclipsing that figure in nine days. If “Spider-Man 2” continues to sell out across the nation, it could break the mark in just six days, even if business dips on Sunday night as moviegoers flock to Fourth of July barbecues and fireworks shows.

Other records “Spider-Man 2” could topple include the best single-day gross, currently held by “Shrek 2” with $44.8 million.

Part of what is driving “Spider-Man 2” are consistently positive reviews, some of the best notices for any film this summer.

“You go through one movie, and you learn what works and what doesn’t work,” said Matt Tolmach, Sony’s co-president of production. “And then you improve upon that.”