Indiana Jones - $25 million Thursday...

As I inexplicably predicted, Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull pulled in an estimated $25 million on its first day, according to Fantasy Moguls. Maybe I'm getting better at this again. Again, this is in line with the idea that this is not a youth-driven blockbuster, but an old-fashioned see it over the weekend smash. I'm not the only one waiting till the weekend. But we're all planning on seeing it this weekend.

Alas, the word of mouth has been mixed at best, with the possible realization that critics were bending over backwards not to trash a beloved icon (most of the positive reviews were of the 'B-' variety). I'll let you know what I think after I see it weekend, as well as an update on further box office numbers. So for me, the question is whether I'll actually like it as much as The Mummy series, The Rundown, or Sahara, three would-be Indy knock-offs that succeeded on their own merits with fun characters and bountiful adventure scenes that used both CGI and old-fashioned stunt work. The Mummy series was heavily CGI, as befitted its supernatural stories. The Rundown was a mix of CGI and practical fight scenes, and Sahara was refreshingly practical. Still, what bitter irony would it be if The Mummy 3: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor turns out to be a better film than Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.

Scott Mendelson