You're right, Even if it has Bale in it, judging from the mess they left back in 2003, it'll probably hit something between 60-110M. And there's no way Stiller could beat bale this week, although they'll do pretty good because of the different demographic.

Right now I see it's $257m to $296m, so you're right, it should pass it (non adjusted).

Rock on,

Laremy

2.) Star Trek – $ 42.5 million
This one will surely get in the crowds this weekend as well. $42.5 mill is the lowest it would make. I wont be surprised if it manages $45mill+

3.) X-Men Origins: Wolverine – $9.0 million
Yes… Another 67% drop. This will fall way short of all the previous X-Men films as far as collections in North America are concerned. Not that its a bad movie. Its just released at a bad time.

I'm guessing A&D around $47-65 M

As for Star Trek, I bet anyone it won't bleed by more than 50%, probably at $40M+

As for Wolvie, movie's not that bad, but it wasn't as good as X2. Expecting a Watchmen type-bleed but not too much for this has a higher mainstream audience.

Next Week? Bale will probably shock us again. Highest May opening anyone?

Oh, and NATM2 won't be far behind.. It has Amy Adams in it anyway.

T4 – 89M
NATM – 79M

No, Star Trek won't probably be affected next week, But Wolverine will.

I've been reading your BO articles for months and months now, they're a neat take on the derby every week. Just please don't take this comment the wrong way.

Wanted to mention two mistakes you made:
1.) Angels & Demons doesn't open at 300 more theatres than The Da Vinci Code. Da Vinci started with 3,735 theatres while A&D starts this weekend with 3,527.
2.) I don't know where you got $84 mil from but going into its third weekend, Wolverine is only $23 mil behind the first X-Men (unadjusted domestic), $75 mil if adjusted, and $38 mil worldwide.

Having said all that, A&D is definitely hard to predict this weekend because even though it's had plenty of production/controversy publicity, I don't believe its on the level of buzz going in as DV. Still, Angels & Demons is a huge book and people know the name, so to speak, so I'm guessing $57.5 mil, around the ballpark of Bartowski.

For Wolverine, it won't have a problem becoming the third highest grossing X-Men movie. Adjusted, however, is a different story.

Um I also don't think that "Night at the Museum" will do all that well, just because it looks fairly awful (like really bad- pretty much just a retread of the first film), but second because these sequels to live action family films more often then not fail if not disappoint. See: Prince Caspian, Pink Panther 2, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (didn't fail, but made about $60 million less than the first movie). Yeah those films are in a different league than "Night" but that doesn't mean that this film won't disappoint either. Remember, even "Bedtime Stories", which was positioned to be just like "Night", release date and all, disappointed considering the star and the appeal of the genre. Let's say $60 million for the 4-day but it'll barely break $150 million by the end of it's run. Still a success but not a great one.

If you look at any past Star Wars or Trek they always fall pretty hard their second wait.

Next week it will be hard to say what will do better, since Terminator is on Thursday. I think Night will have a better 4-day weekend.

Terminator-80.0
Night at Museum- 70.0

By the way its Battle of the Smithsonian. Not Escape From. I think someone is thinking of Madagascar. Lol.

MY PREDICTIONS
1. ANGELS & DEMONS – $56.4 million
Like I said, this year's Narnia. I really don't think a lot of people want to see this, and if they do, then they probably won't excitedly rush out. All ticket buyers are probably purchasing their tickets with a side of skepticism.

2. STAR TREK – $43.2 million
The word is out – Star Trek is spectacular and I, along with a massive group of other American moviegoers, will be checking it out this weekend (in my case, it'll be my second time). Should hold solid, as it's honestly the only truly grand quality spectacle out there right now.

3. WOLVERINE – $10.5 million
See ya, Wolverine. You got here May 1 and you're out of here by the end of Memorial Day. And completely forgotten by everyone by the end of the summer. You could've been better.. wayyyy better. *You SHOULD'VE been better.

Like I said, I'll be seeing the awesome STAR TREK sometime again this weekend.

As for next weekend…

It's a close one, Laremy. In the past, the kid movie has always beat the older movie. But in this case, I'm placing my bets on TERMINATOR: SALVATION to take the lead by just a few mill more than Ben Stiller. Why? Because it's just as big as any other summer movie (Star Trek, Wolverine – both made past $75mill opening weekend), and I think it has the gull to breakthrough the $90 million mark. Night at the Museum 2 might only stay in the $80 mill range. So therefore…

EARLY PREDICTIONS
1. TERMINATOR: SALVATION – $95.2 million
2. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN – $89.5 million

Who knew, right? NATM appeals to everyone and people want to go out and get to the movies these days, and you've got two hugely entertaining, yet very different movies right there to check out. I'll be checking out TERMINATOR: SALVATION first, but honestly… I, and tons and tons and tons of American families, will also be checking out NATM2 after the barbecue on Memorial Day Monday. What a wonderful movie weekend.

Have a blessed weekend, everyone! :]

Angels and Demons $55.4 million I think everything else is on track. On the world wide side, A&D will probably be the best opening of the year.

I do not think you are over rating Star Trek. I have talked with dozens of friends, business associates etc. and they all tell me that they loved it and most want to see it again this weekend, as do I.

Angels & Demons is a tough one to estimate, as I heard the tracking on the film is so-so.

Keep up the good work!