JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Eastwood’s R-rated Iraq War drama “American Sniper” opened in January like a superhero movie in July, taking in a record $105.3 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. four-day weekend.

The film’s success obliterated forecasts and set numerous box-office records. It easily surpassed “Avatar” to become the biggest January weekend ever.

This was actually the third week of release for “American Sniper,” which played in just a handful of theaters for two weeks. That release helped stoke demand for the film, in which Bradley Cooper stars as Navy SEAL marksman Chris Kyle.

The resounding wide-release opening is also tops for the 84-year-old Eastwood. And it, in one weekend, gives the Oscar best-picture race something it was lacking: a big box-office hit. “American Sniper” is nominated for six Academy Awards.