'X2' Has Extraordinary Opening Weekend

They're outnumbered and ostracized by society in the film, but at movie theaters over the weekend, the X-Men ruled.

According to preliminary estimates from studio 20th Century Fox, "X2: X-Men" united opened with an estimated $85.8 million its opening weekend, the fourth biggest non-holiday weekend ever.

Another Marvel book character-turned-movie, "Spider-Man," still holds the record with a $115 million opener a year ago. Behind that are "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and the Chamber of the Secrets," which opened with takes of $90.3 million and $88.4 million, respectively.

That ranking could change when the final numbers are tallied, however. According to Reuters News Service, Fox's early estimates for "X2" were lower than that of other studios -- some of which estimated that the film earned over $90 million.

Whatever the final numbers are, "X2's" opening crushed the opening of the original "X-Men" in 2000, which earned $55 million. That film went on to earn over $157 million at the North American box office and $294 million worldwide.

If preliminary estimates hold up, then "X2" has already earned more than half of "X-Men's" worldwide box office, with an estimated $155 million in ticket sales over the weekend.

The film -- about a band of mutants with superpowers facing increasing hostilities from the human population -- reunites the large ensemble cast of the first "X-Men" film, including Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Ian McKellen (Magneto) Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Mystique), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), Anna Paquin (Rogue), James Marsden (Cyclops) and Halle Berry (Storm).

The only other new film in wide release over the weekend was Disney Channel television series-turned-film "The Lizzie McGuire Movie," which earned an estimated $17 million.

Dropping to third place from the last week's No. 1 slot was the John Cusack horror thriller "Identity," which pulled in an estimated $9.5 million. Rounding out the top five were the comedy "Anger Management" and family adventure "Holes," which pulled in $8.5 million and $6.5 million, respectively.

Final numbers will be released Monday.