"Over the Hedge" Weekend Derby

"Box Office Mojo" is predicting that "OTH" grosses $35.5 million to take the "Place" slot behind "The Da Vinci Code"... I'm wagering it does better than that. Having seen "OTH" at my neighborhood AMC late of a Friday evening, it's easily the best feature DreamWorks has produced in some time. The theatre was full for the 8:10 screening. And the protestors were out with banners denouncing "Code." [More later...] Update: As I suspected, "Mojo" was low in its Friday estimate for "Over the Hedge." The Sunday estimate (and this could change by Monday) was $37,228,000. (Sadly, I didn't hit the number I needed in the DW betting pool...) Final Update: Okaay. The official, real tally for "Hedge's" fist weekend is $38.5 million. This is "below" some analysts' estimates (about which there will be more above), but $3 million more than Box Office Mojo's Saturday estimate. So was Paramount's counter-programming against "Da Vinci" a smart move or not? Who the hell knows. DreamWorks got a solid number for a solid picture. The next question: How does it hold up first to second weekend? Unsurprisingly, "Ice Age 2" took a major hit (dropping 71%) with "Hedge" entering the marketplace. DreamWorks now has a clear field for a few weeks...until "Cars" pulls in. I'm still thinking that DreamWorks is ripe for a purchase by Viacom or some other conglomerate. And what better time than now, when the latest franchise is safely launched?