Viewers get 'Carried' away

The debut of Sex and the City in theatres contributed to 16 percent of ticket sales on Fandango.com this weekend, according to Fandango (via MediaPost).

Fandango users purchased over one million advance tickets, setting a record for advance sell-outs. The movie also sold the most quickly: 10 tickets per second during peak hours.

The two and a half-hour film is a continuation of HBO's hit series, which ran for six seasons and went off the air four years ago. Domestic box office sales for opening weekend beat analyst expectations of $55 million.

Success stemmed in part from Sex and the City's success in generating loyalty across the so-called "four quadrants": men and women, young and old.

"Sex and the City" was released by New Line Cinema. "The Golden Compass," another New Line Cinema film, generated $372 million in global box offices last December.