Early Friday estimates are showing that X-Men: The Last Stand has grossed over $44.5 million in its first 24 hours. This figure includes midnight showings from Thursday night. The movie opened small by today's standards, in just over 3,688 North American theatres, pulling in a per theater average of $12,000.

X-Men was the biggest Friday opening of all time (beating 2002's Spider-Man which also opened in May), but it didn't break the opening day record held by Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith which grossed over $50 million on a Thursday last year.

X-Men will most likely beat the Memorial Day record which has been held by Shrek 2, which grossed $95 million over the weekend in 2004.

The Da Vinci Code took an expected drop, only making a third of its opening day last week with an estimated $10.2 million. Over the Hedge made around $7.6 million yesterday.