Terminator Salvation brought the future to the present last night when Warner Bros. Pictures unleashed it at midnight screenings across the country.
Early estimates place the Thursday night haul at around $3 million with broader estimates point towards a $70 million opening weekend through Memorial Day on Monday. That total would fall short of the $70 million plus X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Star Trek managed in just over three days, but would still be considered a huge success for the studio and a step towards greenlighting a sequel.
Today’s Terminator box office take will help zero in on a clearer weekend estimate.
Director McG and Terminator’s stiffest competition will come from Fox’s Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian which is opening on 4,096 screens versus Terminator’s 3,450. Dance Flick is the other big opener with a smaller share on 2,300 screens.
