Transformers: Age Of Extinction $100 Million Opening Called Into Question

Paramount Pictures’ claim that Transformers: Age of Extinction had the first $100 million opening weekend of 2014 is being called into questioned, according to a report by Deadline.

The report mentions an insider at Paramount Pictures who said that some people’s jobs were on the line if the film did not hit the $100 million mark in its opening weekend, offering a possible motive for why they’re going through the trouble of fudging already impressive box office numbers. Most other industry estimates have Age of Extinction in the $97.5-98 million.

“Looking at Rentrak, at this time the average for the three-days is $22.964M, representing a total gross for three days of $97.76M,” one unnamed distribution executive told Deadline. “Rentrak collected 97% of the grosses for the three days.  In my humble opinion, it would be impossible for $100M to be reported.”

Despite all of this, Paramount is standing firm by their numbers.

“We reported our number based on the estimates we received from the theaters this morning. [$100.038 million] is our final number,” said a Paramount spokeswoman.

Transformers: Age of Extinction is now playing.