Saturday update:
Not to echo a shrill, obnoxious "we told you so" entertainment-blog cliche ... but we did call it (see below).
Universal's "Fast Five" grossed an estimated $33.2 million Friday, putting the $125 million Vin Diesel/Dwayne Johnson action film on pace to earn around $80 million this weekend.
It's the biggest opening in Universal history, exceeding "The Lost World: Jurasic Park's" $72.1 million.
And if "Fast Five" makes it to $80 million, it will double up on what was previously the year's best start, the $39.2 million made by "Rio."
In other box-office news, Disney's "Prom" -- the first film greenlit by studio boss Rich Ross -- got off to a disappointing start Friday, taking in just $1.8 million.
It won't meet tracking in the $8 million-$10 million range. But we're not talking about "Prince of Persia" here either -- "Prom" cost less than $10 million to make.
Also enduring a disappointing Friday: Weinstein's CG 3D film, "Hoodwinked Too!" took in only $1.1 million and will also miss tracking by quite a bit.
Internationally, Paramount reported that "Thor" has grossed $17 million in two days opening in 20 markets. Having opened in Australia last week, the Marvel film has taken in $40 million abroad.
Friday update:
"Fast Five" is on the move.
The film that's expected to finally lead the box office out of the doldrums -- at least, temporarily -- produced Universal's best midnight grosses ever Friday morning, taking in an estimated $3.7 million at 1,104 locations.
That's more than double the $1.8 million in midnight cash yielded by "Fast and Furious 4" in 2009.
Thursday preview:
Fast cars? Check.
Hot dudes and babes? Check.
Packed with action? Check, check and check.
Universal's "Fast Five" has all the ingredients to easily become the year's biggest box-office hit, with pre-release estimates suggesting the film will gross $60 million-$70 million domestically this weekend.
In an ice-cold market in which the top opening has been only $39.2 million (for Fox's "Rio" two weeks ago), any start that comes close to that projection has to be considered as downright huge.
Also read: 'Fast Five" is Racing Towards 2011's Best Start -- But Will It Save Ron Meyer's Job?
With Disney's first Rich Ross-greenlit film, the youth-targeted "Prom," and Weinstein's kiddie-aimed "Hoodwinked Too" also debuting, there are some box-office watchers who think the fifth "Fast and Furious" movie could be even bigger this weekend.
Some -- to Universal's chagrin -- have even suggested the movie could eclipse $80 million this weekend.
"It looks really good to me," said a rival-studio distribution chief. "I thought their trailer and TV spots were great."
As tentpoles go, reviews have been especially solid, with Rotten Tomatoes scoring the movie at 81 percent fresh as of Thursday afternoon.
And you wanna talk tracking? Lets talk tracking.
