The third (although perhaps not final) installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise made a lot of money this weekend no matter what chart you use.  Worldwide figures place the opening at $401 M, the largest ever six-day launch.  Domestic totals over the three-day weekend came in at about $142 M for the official weekend, with another $14 M just in the four-hour extra opening window Thursday night.  Both numbers pop it over the top for largest Memorial Day opening weekend ever, even up against "Shrek the Third" and "Spider-Man 3."

About "Spider-Man 3" ...  Yeah.  Even with the extra opening time, even though it broke the other records, "PotC: At World's End" did not manage to evict Spidey from the position of largest opening weekend (domestic), which had been the goal.  (One might think that making obscene gobs of money anyway is a nice consolation prize.)  The film comes in fifth place in that category, behind the franchise's own second film.

Rounding out the top five this weekend were Shrek in at second place, Spidey at third, Ashley Judd weird flick "Bug" in at fourth and coming in a strong fifth as it opened on more screens, Keri Russell/Nathan Fillion vehicle "Waitress."