Box Office - 'Terminator' Has $13 Million Opening Day

The total opening day box office estimates are in for Terminator Salvation, and it's pretty much what I expected: $13.3 million, maybe up to $13.5. That's a bonus day for Terminator, which expands into a few more theaters today and faces competition from two new releases, Night at the Museum and Dance Flick. Like it or not, from Friday - Monday, Terminator is probably in for a dogfight with the Night at the Museum sequel, which as I mentioned earlier in the week, is completely impervious to bad reviews (not the case for Terminator) and will have a lot more three- and four-ticket purchases this weekend because it's family friendly. The $13 million debut is fine, but it doesn't seem to indicate a gargantuan weekend. We've got it hitting about $80 million between Thursday and Monday, which is clearly not as good as Star Trek and Wolverine. The $13 million is just about half of what Indiana Jones did on this Thursday a year ago, if you're looking for some perspective.However, I don't think the bar was ever set as high for Terminator as the X- Men spin-off, at least in the U.S. The franchise has always done much better overseas, so if Terminator Salvation makes $180 - $200 million in the states and another $300 million worldwide, it's a big hit for the studio. Warner Bros. has to be thrilled if that scenario plays out; its other two films currently in the top ten - 17 Again and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - have both been successful enough to bouy Terminator if the numbers for the summer tentpole aren't outstanding. Terminator was by far the top movie on Thursday, with Star Trek holding down the second spot just ahead of Angels & Demons.