Marvel Comics’ first X-Men spinoff movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, enjoyed a healthy $85 million opening weekend against a $150 million production budget, meaning the film made more than half of its budget back in the first weekend, usually a sign of a successful run. The Hugh Jackman vehicle was, of course, the top draw of the weekend.

Coming in a very distant second was Ghosts of Girlfriends Past with $15.4 million, also in its debut weekend, and second-week underdog thriller Obsessed with $12 million. No other movie even came close to cracking the $10 million barrier.

The mutant drama will receive major competition in its second weekend, however, as the much-anticipated J.J. Abrams redeux on the Star Trek franchise takes its opening bow in what is anticipated to be the first film of the summer season to top $100 million in its opening weekend… anything less would probably disappoint.

Angels and Demons opens the week after that, followed by Terminator Salvation, before May closes out with the debut of the animated family film, Up, so hold off on the birth announcements until at least Terminator Salvation has made its opening bow, OK? May looks to be a hot month for movies.

Charlie may be drowned and dead on Lost, but actor Dominic Monaghan is anything but; the actor is landing feet-first with a plum role in 2009′s X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie, which will focus in on the solo adventures of Hugh Jackman’s character.

Although his longevity may not be the stuff of low term life insurance quotes, Monaghan’s character in the mutant action film will be a character called Blackwing, whose powers are similar to Angel’s, the bird-like flying character in 2006′s X-Men 3: The Last Stand.

Like many former Lost-ies, Monaghan’s run on the ABC drama has earned him a rep as a hot property in Hollywood and adding this talented actor to the cast seems certain to further cement interest in the next X-flick.