'Pirates' HUGE, but will it last?

This just in: “Superman” is NOT faster than a speeding bullet, because “Pirates of the Caribbean” IS a speeding bullet, and it crushed the man of steel this past weekend.

“Pirates” broke the all-time non-holiday weekend record and grossed almost as much in one weekend ($132 million) as “Superman Returns” has ($140 million) in all ten days of its release. The “Superman” gross includes a paltry $21 million this past weekend, big enough to beat “Devil Wears Prada,” but small enough to leave the door open to some sort of “Lady in the Water” (buzz at NY press junket was mixed) or “Super Ex-Girlfriend” surprise. (Don’t expect much in this bracket from “Miami Vice” — the studio has pushed press screenings back to the evening of July 27th, to keep reviews out of the July 28 papers.)

In Summer Movie Madness “Pirates” had the week off (not an off week) — it was to go up against “Pulse,” but that movie was bumped so “Pirates” was awarded a forfeit. Week two will give us a much better idea, but even if it loses a catastrophic portion of its massive opening audience, it’s still going to pull at least $50-60 million, and will waltz to what figures to be a showdown with “Talladega Nights” down the road. And “Pirates” is the last of the tentpole blockbusters — there’s really nothing out there to take its legs out, the way “Pirates” undercut “Superman.”

The looming question: can “Pirates” or anybody beat that $10 million week five “Cars” number? “Cars” didn’t open great, but after an unimpressive week two, it’s been tenacious in holding an audience (only a 29 percent drop this past weekend).

It’s been a lame summer for family films, and that helped “Cars.” But that also helps “Pirates,” which is family-ish and extraordinarily popular among young boys, judging by the snotty email we've received.

“Superman” is not going to be at $10 million in week five. But “Pirates” — that’s another story.