'Da Vinci Code' opens with est. $29M: Yr's biggest opening-weekend gross?

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN/AP: 'Da Vinci Code' opens with estimated $29 million
Film is on track for year's biggest opening-weekend gross
Saturday, May 20, 2006

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- "The Da Vinci Code" banked an estimated $29 million at the box office on its first day in theaters, an industry official said Saturday, positioning the film to turn in the strongest opening weekend for any movie this year.

Preliminary results showed that the movie, based on a runaway best-seller and starring multiple-Oscar winner Tom Hanks, appealed to moviegoers despite lackluster reviews....

***

"This is the first big film of the summer to exceed box office expectations," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., which tracks box office receipts.

Dergarabedian said the movie could gross $60 million to $80 million in its opening weekend. That would easily eclipse Tom Cruise's latest offering, Paramount's "Mission: Impossible III," which fell well below expectation with $48 million on its opening weekend earlier this month.

For "Da Vinci Code," controversy around a script that suggests Jesus married and fathered a child "only served to pump up the marketplace and get moviegoers get really interested in seeing what the fuss was about," Dergarabedian said....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/20/davinci.opening.ap/index.html

[Rainscents]

1. I just got back from seeing this movie!

Movie theater was SOLD OUT! It was going in three theaters. I really liked movie a lot. I didn't see any RW nuts protesting.

[Arugula Latte]

2. That's interesting that MI III did "poor" by their standards.

I'm hoping it's disgust with whackjob Tom Cruise :crazy: that drove down those numbers!

Also, I hope Da Vinci Code does well ... I just love it that some of these religious fanatics are getting pissed off about it.

[still_one]

3. I read the book and saw the movie

if you like the book you will like the movie. Very good adaptation of book to the silver screen

I suspect the reviewers who trashed it had a particular agenda

In my view the movie rates a B where A is the highest

[Sgent]

4. That book

was written to make a movie out of it -- much like most of John Grisham's novels.

Straightforward action based plot, little character development, heavy on suspense.

[AtomicKitten]

5. I saw it Friday at 1:00 P.M. and the theater was packed.

Enjoyed the book and thought they did a fine job translating it to the big screen.
Really excellent cast.