If The Time Machine were to strike an opening as powerful or close to The Mummy's $43.4 million ($13,515 per-screen) debut, DreamWorks' long time stress over the film's mega-dollar budget should fade rather rapidly. As far as star-power goes, Guy Pearce is attempting to get noticed out there to mainstream audience-goers, as the actor gathered fame among art-house crowds with his role in the critically praised Memento. The star also showed his face in the Disney swashbuckler, The Count of Monte Cristo, which opened to a solid amount of money in its opening weekend ($11.4 million; $5,668 per-screen) and stands at a decent $32.4 million to date, though the picture sits at a budget of $35 million.

DreamWorks has been fairly successful with getting fun preview trailers out there and if that adventurous Mummy vibe does in fact reach the heart of filmgoers in America, The Time Machine could very well pull monster box office numbers. I'm not fully confident that the film will turn in similar figures but the possibility is easily on the table. One advantage Time Machine holds is carrying a feel that is very summer-like, as moviegoers may get turned on by that aspect and show up in droves. While the picture lacks heavy star-power, such was also the case for The Mummy when it simply had Brendan Fraser in the highlight spot (who would ever think he could open a movie to $40+?!). I believe one of the reasons why the original Mummy (as well as the sequel) did so well was that Fraser's character in a way resembled the Indiana Jones of this generation, and while The Time Machine lacks that element, a powerful weekend launch can still be expected. So, with the huge opening still an open shot, look for The Time Machine to gross anywhere between $22 - 35 million in 2850 - 3200 theaters (my theater count forecast).

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