THE MUMMY set to dethrone THE DARK KNIGHT

After two solid weeks at the top of the box office charts, this weekend looks set to see The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor dethrone the giant that is The Dark Knight and become no. 1. On Friday, The Mummy 3 earned an estimated $15.3 million which although down on the last movie's $23.4 million, after an absence of seven years and the popular Rachel Weisz that has to be seen as a success. If the movie can sustain, it should beat The Dark Knight to first place, though the Warner Bros. picture still continues to be a juggernaut. The movie earned $12.6 million on Friday, only 46% down on last week which puts the movie on $363.7 million domestically. The John C. Reilly/Will Ferrell comedy Step Brothers fell a substantial 57% from it's debut weekend and grossed only $5 million, though it's domestic gross of $51 million is good after eight days for a movie made on a $65 million budget. The only other wide release of the weekend was the political comedy Swing Vote, which opened in fifth place with a poultry $1.95 million. I really thought that Kevin Costner project had a real chance when it was first announced and maybe it was the wrong decision to release it during the summer? And finally, Lionsgate quietly released the Clive Barker adapted horror The Midnight Meat Train in just 102 theatres. Shame. source - variety