Fox/Lightstorm’s Alita: Battle Angel took the fight to China today with an estimated $19.8M opening Friday. That includes $1M in limited Thursday midnights. An opening in the $50M zone had been expected, then buzz increased this week. With Friday’s start, the full frame is now looking at a three-day upwards of $60M. The international box office total on Alita is $115M through Thursday and worldwide it’s at $163.7M (this does not include China).

Alita is the first Hollywood movie in China following the Lunar New Year holiday rush on local titles which has blanketed the past few weeks. The Robert Rodriguez-directed, James Cameron-produced adaptation got a boost on Monday when the filmmakers and talent visited Beijing. Cameron is revered in the Middle Kingdom and was greeted at a press conference by such local directors as Zhang Yimou, Wuershan and The Wandering Earth‘s Frant Gwo.