After blazing to a nearly $10,000 per-theater average (PTA) at its 15 locations on Friday, Eastern Promises grabbed another $14,073 per location Saturday, and, by Monday morning, the acclaimed London mob picture will have stirred up an estimated $549,000 in opening weekend business for a weekend PTA of $36,584. That is one of the Top 100 Per Theatre Averages in modern box-office history. Starring Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts, Promises was also named the winner of the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award on Saturday. Needless to say, this movie will be riding a huge wave of positive reviews and buzz as it expands to over 1,300 locations this coming Friday.

Across the Universe (Universal), from the vivid imagination of Tony winner Julie Taymor, bowed at 23 locations this weekend, and, despite mixed reviews, it has performed strongly. The Beatles-inspired, psychedelic musical adventure added another $261,000 on Saturday for a PTA of $11,350. It will wrap up its limited opening weekend with just shy of $30,000 per location and a total take of about $685,000. The Universal distribution plan calls for Across the Universe to add about 400 locations this Friday.

Warner Independent's well reviewed, Iraq War-themed In the Valley of Elah will finish third in the weekend PTA race, with an estimated $16,500 per location. Given the difficult subject matter, this seems like an admirable performance, and the success is a tribute to its Oscar-winning contributors, including Paul Haggis, Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Sarandon and Charlize Theron. Elah will add 300 locations on Friday, and WIP will hope that word-of-mouth and more rave reviews will help the film to broaden its appeal. Some of the country's best critics, like Roger Ebert, Richard Corliss, Lou Lumenick, David Ansen and Owen Gleiberman, have already championed In the Valley of Elah, and, with awards season around the corner, this movie still has a chance for some degree of commercial success.

Meanwhile, back at America's multiplexes, 3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate) had an excellent hold with $3.78 million on Saturday and a likely $9.26 million second weekend. Mr. Woodcock (New Line), another Billy Bob Thornton comedy in which he plays a cranky, irascible curmudgeon who turns out to have a heart made, at least partly, of gold (see Bad Santa, Bad News Bears and School For Scoundrels) will finish a disappointing No. 3 for the weekend, although it could have been worse. After a soft Friday, the picture seemed destined to finish the frame with less than $7 million, but it got a 28 percent shot of ticket sales Viagra on Saturday. Woodcock instead will complete the three-day with a slightly more respectable $8.55 million. Superbad (Sony), with $5.5 million, and Halloween (MGM/Weinstein), with approximately $5 million, will round out the Top 5.

Just missing the Top 5 is Dragon Wars (Freestyle Releasing), a South Korean film that cost a reported $70 million to make. It generated another $2 million on Saturday and, fueled by dragon-loving Under 25 Males, it will wrap up its opening weekend with $4.87 million.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW The Brave One (Warner Bros.) — $5.55 million, $2,015 PTA [$10.1 million cume]
2. 3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate) — $3.78 million, $1,420 PTA [$25.9 million cume]
3. NEW Mr. Woodcock (New Line) — $3.52 million, $1,578 PTA [$6.2 million cume]
4. Superbad (Sony) — $2.2 million, $756 PTA [$110 million cume]
5. Halloween (MGM/Weinstein) — $2.11 million, $694 PTA [$49.9 million cume]
6. NEW Dragon Wars (Freestyle Releasing) — $2.01 million, $886 PTA [$3.5 million cume]
7. The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) — $1.81 million, $693 PTA [$215 million cume]
8. Rush Hour 3 (New Line) — $1.56 million, $709 PTA [$132.3 million cume]
9. Balls of Fury (Rogue) — $1.49 million, $542 PTA [$27.9 million cume]
10. Mr. Bean's Holiday (Universal) — $1.06 million, $599 PTA [$27.5 million cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW The Brave One (Warner Bros.) — $14.1 million, $5,118 PTA [$14.1 million cume]
2. 3:10 to Yuma (Lionsgate) — $9.26 million, $3,472 PTA [$28.6 million cume]
3. NEW Mr. Woodcock (New Line) — $8.55 million, $3,836 PTA [$8.55 million cume]
4. Superbad (Sony) — $5.52 million, $1,899 PTA [$111.6 million cume]
5. Halloween (MGM/Weinstein) — $5 million, $1,663 PTA [$51.3 million cume]
6. NEW Dragon Wars (Freestyle Releasing) — $4.87 million, $2,143 PTA [$4.87 million cume]
7. The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal) — $3.99 million, $1,529 PTA [$216 million cume]
8. Balls of Fury (Rogue) — $3.43 million, $1,245 PTA [$28.9 million cume]
9. Rush Hour 3 (New Line) — $3.4 million, $1,542 PTA [$133.2 million cume]
10. Shoot 'Em Up (New Line) — $2.43 million, $1,154 PTA [$10.1 million cume]
10. Mr. Bean's Holiday (Universal) — $2.43 million, $1,373 PTA [$28.2 million cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY PTA ESTIMATES
1. NEW Eastern Promises (Focus Features) — 15 locations, $14,073 PTA
2. NEW Across the Universe (Sony) — 23 locations, $11,350 PTA
3. NEW In the Valley of Elah (Warner Independent) — 9 locations, $6,689 PTA
4. NEW King of California (First Look) — 5 locations, $2,806 PTA
5. The Hunting Party (MGM/Weinstein) — 40 locations, $2,710 PTA
6. Fierce People (After Dark) — 5 locations, $2,597 PTA
7. NEW Ira & Abby (Magnolia) — 7 locations, $2,564 PTA
8. Milarepa: Magician (Luminous Velocity) — 1 location, $2,099 PTA
9. NEW The Brave One (Warner Bros.) — 2,755 locations, $2,015 PTA
10. NEW December Boys (Warner Independent) — 4 locations, $1,676 PTA
* NEW The Great World of Sound (Magnolia) — 2 locations, $1,250 PTA
* NEW Silk (Picturehouse) — 122 locations, $474 PTA

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY PTA ESTIMATES
1. NEW Eastern Promises (Focus Features) — 15 locations, $36,584 PTA
2. NEW Across the Universe (Sony) — 23 locations, $29,771 PTA
3. NEW In the Valley of Elah (Warner Independent) — 9 locations, $16,532 PTA
4. NEW King of California (First Look) — 5 locations, $7,245 PTA
5. NEW Ira & Abby (Magnolia) — 7 locations, $6,080 PTA
6. The Hunting Party (MGM/Weinstein) — 40 locations, $6,020 PTA
7. Fierce People (After Dark) — 5 locations, $5,363 PTA
8. Milarepa: Magician (Luminous Velocity) — 1 location, $5,140 PTA
9. NEW The Brave One (Warner Bros.) — 2,755 locations, $5,118 PTA
10. NEW December Boys (Warner Independent) — 4 locations, $4,201 PTA
* NEW Great World of Sound (Magnolia) — 2 locations, $3,797 PTA
* NEW Silk (Picturehouse) — 122 locations, $1,087 PTA