BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhuanet) -- "Spider-Man 3" still holds the three-day box office record of 151 million U.S. dollars, but "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" appears a sure bet to establish a new mark for a four-day holiday opening.

    "Pirates" should easily break the industry's holiday weekend box-office record of 122.9 million dollars established Memorial Day weekend of last year by "X-Men 3: The Last Stand" and, according to Disney, should also achieve the largest global opening ever.

    Although "Pirates" opened on more than 11,000 domestic screens in a record 4,362 theaters, its nearly three-hour length limited the number of showings.

    Mark Zoradi, president of Disney's motion picture marketing and distribution, noted that "Pirates" had stiff competition, with "Shrek the Third" and "Spider-Man 3" still playing in theaters.

    "We're not looking back at all, and couldn't be happier," he said.

    Critics also weren't kind to the film, although reviews typically have a limited effect at the box office on summer action blockbusters.

    "This is the kind of movie where reviews don't mean as much," Zoradi said. "Audiences voted with their ticket purchases."

    Media by Numbers President Paul Dergarabedian said that having extensive previews ¡ª "Pirates" set a record with a gross of 14 million dollars on Thursday night ¡ª meant Disney wasn't necessarily aiming to set a new three-day mark.

    "The notion that it was out to beat "Spider-Man 3" was misguided," he said. "When you put the film out for the fans on a Thursday, you're not chasing a record."

    Disney said "Pirates," starring Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow, was on track to gross 205.5 million dollars in foreign markets through Sunday. The studio predicted the film would pass the 381.7-million dollar global opening of "Spider-Man 3." Zoradi said the film had yet to open in China, India and Lebanon.

    (Agencies)