Starring Patrick Stewart ('Picard') and Famke Janssen (TNG's empathic-metamorph 'Kamala'), the film broke many estimates and took an estimated $85m on its first weekend in the US. This was up considerably on the $54m its predecessor took in its first weekend.

Ranking behind SPIDER-MAN and both HARRY POTTER MOVIES, but nudging ATTACK OF THE CLONES out of the way, X2 has become the fourth biggest opening to date in the US.

Worldwide the film took an estimated $155m—easily paying for its estimated budget of around $100m-$140m. But with the first MATRIX sequel on the horizon, the studio want to grab as much money as they can before Neo arrives.

Stewart meanwhile has revealed he nearly didn't join the X-MEN franchise. "I just thought that to connect myself with a similar project I mean it's not science fiction, it's fantasy, might not be the smartest thing to do," he told AP Radio. "And I resisted. Partly because I was arguing with [director Bryan Singer] that maybe it would not in the best interest of this new franchise to have someone bringing a lot of luggage with him. But Bryan argued that that was a bonus."