'American Sniper' on target for January record

Clint Eastwood's American Sniper is riding high at the weekend box office where it has already scored $30.5 million on Friday, according to studio estimates.

"This is crazy how it has taken off," says Phil Contrino, analyst for BoxOffice.com.

Contrino predicts the film could land in record-breaking January territory — the $75 million-$80 million range — for the weekend. "The word of mouth on this is so incredibly strong. This is uncharted territory."

The R-rated film, which has Bradley Cooper starring as real-life Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, received a boost on Thursday with six Oscar nominations — including best picture and best actor for Cooper.

American Sniper had received a limited opening in December where it pulled in $4 million and a coveted A+ audience rating on CinemaScore. The expanded opening now includes 3,555 theaters.

The $30.5 million weekend number includes $3 million from 332 IMAX locations.