Discuss: What Will Do Better This Weekend, ‘Night at the Museum 2’ or ‘Terminator Salvation’?

Which is gonna win out?   Ben Stiller, Amerlia Earhart, and Teddy Roosevelt, or a whole bunch of T-600s and a wrathful Christian Bale?   On the surface, it seems like a pretty done deal.   ‘Terminator’ could surely kick ‘Museum’s ass, right?   Don’t be quick to decide on that one.

‘Terminator 3’ opened with just over $44 million when it was released on July 2nd, 2003.   That was 4th of July weekend, too.   When the first ‘Night at the Museum’ was released on the weekend before Christmas, 2006, it made just over $30 million.   Transport both of these franchises over to the end of May, and you can shave a little off ‘Terminator’s take and add it onto ‘Museum’s.

Of course, we already have some numbers in.   ‘Terminator Salvation’ was, actually, released yesterday, May 21st, and it took in $13.3 million on over 35oo screen.   ‘Museum’ opens today, the 22nd, on over 4000 screens, and that’s including a few hundred on IMAX.

Now, if you take into account the star power each film has, then you have a whole, different ballgame.   Christian Bale’s last movie, which I’m sure you saw four or five times, was ‘The Dark Knight,’ which opened to $158 million.   Stiller’s last movie was ‘Madagascar 2,’ which opened with $63 million.   These are two massive openings, neither of which, I’m sure, ‘Terminator’ nor ‘Museum’ will even come close to touching.   You can’t really attribute ‘The Dark Knight’s success to Bale, and you really can’t give Stiller much credit for the success of ‘Madagascar.’   However, if you are calculating star power, those were the figures for each of these actor’s last films.

Whichever film comes out on top, whether it be ‘Terminator Salvation’ or ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian,’ this is sure to be a huge weekend for movies.   You still have ‘Star Trek’ moving strong, and ‘Angels & Demons’ probably won’t drop off all that much.     This all goes without even mentioning the new release of ‘Dance Flick,’ which, on 2400 screen should be able to make change somewhere in the low $20 millions.

Drop us a comment below.   What do you think will come out on top this weekend?   Which of these films are you more looking forward to?   Will you be seeing ‘Night at the Museum 2’ on the IMAX?

Here is the way I see the weekend breaking down:

• ‘Terminator Salvation’ – $71 million
• ‘Night at the Museum 2’ – $62 million
• ‘Star Trek’ -$27 million
• ‘Dance Flick’ -$22
• ‘Angels & Demons’ – $21

Give out your numbers in the comment section below.