Enchanted did dip 8 percent from its monstrous Friday, but still managed a $13.24 million Saturday haul. With an anticipated dip of another 20 percent on Sunday, the Kevin Lima-directed, live action/animation hybrid should hit my projected number. Industry tracking pointed toward a huge opening for Disney, but the town didn't necessarily see This Christmas (Sony) coming.

Hot on the heels of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (Lionsgate), which has grossed more than $54 million to date, along comes another ensemble film featuring an almost entirely black cast, and it's grabbed a huge five-day opening of an estimated $28.73 million, and a weekend-best $15,465 Per Theatre Average. If those numbers hold, This Christmas will have delivered the all-time 13th-biggest five-day Thanksgiving opening.

Among wide releases (1,000 or more locations), This Christmas was one of only three pictures that matched or beat its Friday numbers on Saturday. The Sony holiday family film and American Gangster (Universal) both came in even from Friday, while Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) appears to have improved by a percent or two. This Christmas writer/director Preston Whitmore II, whose only previous major release was last year's poorly-reviewed basketball film Crossover, will now be a hot property in Hollywood. What does it say about moviegoers? Tyler Perry's films and now This Christmas prove that younger movie audiences are increasingly color-blind. Older audiences may have viewed This Christmas as a "black film," but the younger crowd was just looking for a likeable movie with a holiday theme.

Beowulf had a solid five-day take of $24.77 million, and its business is increasingly being driven by its 600-plus Digital 3D locations (including IMAX). In fact, over 50 percent of that $24 million haul came from 3D engagements. The critically reviled Hitman (20th Century Fox) was down 9 percent Friday-to-Saturday for $4.8 million, bringing its five-day figure to a likely $21.65 million. Holdover Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) appears to have held off Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) for fifth place for the five-day. The estimated final score is Fred $16.2 million, Bee $14.5 million. The heartwarming music-driven August Rush (Warner Bros.) finished No. 7 for the lucrative Thanksgiving period with $14.24 million or so, while MGM/Weinstein's The Mist debuted at No. 9 with a projected $12.81 million.

I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein), Todd Haynes's experimental ode to Bob Dylan, has opened softly with a five-day of about $1 million at 130 locations, which translates to a disappointing five-day PTA of $7,762. Perhaps when Cate Blanchett begins to rack up critics awards, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a possible Oscar nom, film fans will rally to see what is truly a sensational performance.

Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage), another dysfunctional family comedy from Noah Baumbach, starring his wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh, as well as Nicole Kidman and Jack Black, will have either the second- or third-best five-day PTA at $14,286, in a virtual dead heat with Enchanted. This bodes well for further expansion and solid box-office and, combined with the Hollywood Foreign Press's love of Kidman, could mean that the former Mrs. Cruise and Baumbach are also Golden Globes contenders.

One other specialty release of note is Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions), which opened Friday at seven locations. Riding terrific reviews and excellent notices for star Frank Langella, Evening is headed for a three-day PTA of $10,571. A veteran of countless features in a career that spans more than 40 years, Langella has never received an Academy Award nomination. He remains a longshot, but makes for an interesting dark horse. This is just the kind of actor, in precisely the kind of role, that other actors tend to warm up to at nomination time, and the fact that the film is showing life at the box office can only help.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $13.24 million, $3,552 PTA [$42.54 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $7.43 million, $3,999 PTA [$23.31 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $6.38 million, $1,986 PTA [$53.03 million cume]
4. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $4.8 million, $1,955 PTA [$18.14 million cume]
5. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $4.28 million, $1,190 PTA [$50.9 million cume]
6. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $3.79 million, $1,083 PTA [$107.6 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $3.71 million, $1,607 PTA million, $11.34 million cume]
8. American Gangster (Universal) — $3.61 million, $1,290 PTA [$113.7 million cume]
9. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $3.31 million, $1,367 PTA [$10.75 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (20th Century Fox) — $3.15 million, $995 PTA [$20.9 million cume]
11. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $2.97 million, $3,460 PTA [$14.5 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $1.23 million, $822 PTA [$41.6 million cume]
* Lions for Lambs (MGM/UA) — $510,000, $334 PTA [$13.6 million cume]
* Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) — $385,000, $1,481 PTA [$3.3 million cume]
* Love in the Time of Cholera (New Line) — $375,000, $440 PTA [$3.2 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $290,000, $2,231 PTA [$806,000 cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $153,000, $4,371 PTA [$471,416 cume]
* NEW Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions) — $31,000, $4,429 PTA [$49,802 cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY ESTIMATES — Friday through Sunday
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $38.24 million, $10,254 PTA [$53.14 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $20.28 million, $10,917 PTA [$28.73 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $17.7 million, $5,501 PTA [$57.8 million cume]
4. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $13.59 million, $5,530 PTA [$21.65 million cume]
5. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $11.83 million, $3,284 PTA [$54.2 million cume]
6. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $10.59 million, $3,021 PTA [$110.6 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $10.35 million, $4,484 PTA million, $14.24 million cume]
8. American Gangster (Universal) — $9.56 million, $3,418 PTA [$116.1 million cume]
9. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (20th Century Fox) — $8.84 million, $2,792 PTA [$23.2 million cume]
10. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $8.74 million, $3,610 PTA [$12.81 million cume]
11. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $8.33 million, $9,695 PTA [$16.84 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $3.26 million, $2,171 PTA [$42.4 million cume]
* Lions for Lambs (MGM/UA) — $1.32 million, $865 PTA [$13.9 million cume]
* Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) — $1.01 million, $3,900 PTA [$3.5 million cume]
* Love in the Time of Cholera (New Line) — $980,000, $1,150 PTA [$3.5 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $765,000, $5,885 PTA [$1 million cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $405,000, $11,571 PTA [$593,816 cume]
* NEW Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions) — $74,000, $10,571 PTA [$74,000 cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 5-DAY ESTIMATES — Wednesday thru Sunday
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $53.14 million, $14,248 PTA [$53.14 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $28.73 million, $15,465 PTA [$28.73 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $24.77 million, $7,699 PTA [$57.8 million cume]
4. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $21.65 million, $8,811 PTA [$21.65 million cume]
5. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $16.26 million, $4,515 PTA [$54.2 million cume]
6. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $14.57 million, $4,156 PTA [$110.6 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $14.24 million, $6,166 PTA million, $14.24 million cume]
8. American Gangster (Universal) — $13.07 million, $4,670 PTA [$116.1 million cume]
9. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $12.81 million, $5,287 PTA [$12.81 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprorium (20th Century Fox) — $11.83 million, $3,736 PTA [$23.2 million cume]
11. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $11.21 million, $13,044 PTA [$16.84 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $4.56 million, $3,036 PTA [$42.4 million cume]
* Lions for Lambs (MGM/UA) — $1.8 million, $1,185 PTA [$13.9 million cume]
* Love in the Time of Cholera (New Line) — $1.29 million, $1,517 PTA [$3.5 million cume]
* Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) — $1.24 million, $4,802 PTA [$3.5 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $1 million, $7,762 PTA [$1 million cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $500,000, $14,286 PTA [$595,000 cume]

FRIDAY NIGHT: The big stories of the Thanksgiving holiday box office are Disney's Enchanted and This Christmas (Sony). They finished 1-2 on Friday and will hold those positions on the five-day scoreboard. Featuring an Oscar-caliber performance from Amy Adams (Junebug, Talladega Nights), Enchanted added an estimated $13.8 million Friday, and it will finish as the all-time second-best five-day Thanksgiving opening with something just over $55 million. Meanwhile, This Christmas surged to $7.22 million on Friday, and the family holiday film with a primarily black cast will have banked $30.12 million by Monday morning.

Beowulf, at No. 3, is holding strongly, and I'm told that 51 percent of its five-day take of $24.46 million will have been generated at Digital 3D and 3D IMAX locations. This bodes well for the future of 3D. Hitman (20th Century Fox) was No. 4 on Friday with about $4.74 million, and it will have generated $22.05 million by Sunday night, edging Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount), which should finish at $20 million or so.

On the specialty front, No Country for Old Men (Miramax) has expanded powerfully to 800-plus screens, Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) is enjoying an excellent PTA at 35 locations and newcomer Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions) starring Frank Langella opened Friday on seven screens, and it will finish the three-day with a solid PTA of $18,802.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY FRIDAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $13.8 million, $3,701 PTA [$28.7 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $7.22 million, $3,888 PTA [$15.67 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $5.99 million, $1,864 PTA [$46.1 million cume]
4. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $4.74 million, $1,929 PTA [$12.8 million cume]
5. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $4.58 million, $1,307 PTA [$104.6 million cume]
6. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $4.25 million, $1,182 PTA [$46.6 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $3.61 million, $1,566 PTA million, $7.5 million cume]
8. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $3.385 million, $1,397 PTA [$7.45 million cume]
9. American Gangster (Universal) — $3.38 million, $1,208 PTA [$109.4 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (20th Century Fox) $3.35 million, $1,059 PTA [$17.7 million cume]
11. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $2.99 million, $3,483 PTA [$11.5 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $1.16 million, $776 PTA [$40.3 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $251,850, $1,937 PTA [$495,850 cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $126,874, $3,625 PTA [$318,416 cume]
* NEW Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions) — $18,802, $2,686 PTA [$18,802 cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY 3-DAY ESTIMATES — Friday through Sunday
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $40.72 million, $10,917 PTA [$55.62 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $20.7 million, $11,664 PTA [$30.12 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $17.39 million, $5,404 PTA [$57.5 million cume]
4. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $16.04 million, $4,576 PTA [$116.1 million cume]
5. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $13.98 million, $5,691 PTA [$22.05 million cume]
6. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $12.77 million, $3,546 PTA [$55.1 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $11.75 million, $5,090 PTA million, $15.64 million cume]
8. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $10.93 million, $12,711 PTA [$19.4 million cume]
9. American Gangster (Universal) — $10.14 million, $3,624 PTA [$116.7 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (20th Century Fox) — $10.06 million, $3,177 PTA [$24.4 million cume]
11. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $8.97 million, $3,702 PTA [$13.03 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $3.78 million, $2,522 PTA [$42.9 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $793,328, $6,103 PTA [$1.03 million cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $488,463, $13,956 PTA [$680,000 cume]
* NEW Starting Out in the Evening (Roadside Attractions) — $68,627, $9,804 PTA [$68,627 cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 5-DAY ESTIMATES — Wednesday through Sunday
1. NEW Enchanted (Disney) — $55.62 million, $14,912 PTA [$55.62 million cume
2. NEW This Christmas (Sony) — $30.12 million, $16,212 PTA [$30.12 million cume]
3. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $24.46 million, $7,603 PTA [$57.5 million cume]
4. NEW Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $22.05 million, $8,972 PTA [$22.05 million cume]
5. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $20.02 million, $5,710 PTA [$116.1 million cume]
6. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $17.21 million, $4,777 PTA [$55.1 million cume]
7. NEW August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $15.64 million, $6,772 PTA million, $15.64 million cume]
8. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $13.8 million, $16,060 PTA [$19.4 million cume]
9. American Gangster (Universal) — $13.64 million, $4,876 PTA [$116.7 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprorium (20th Century Fox) — $13.05 million, $4,121 PTA [$24.4 million cume]
11. NEW The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $13.03 million, $5,380 PTA [$13.03 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $5.08 million, $3,387 PTA [$42.9 million cume]
* NEW I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein) — $1.03 million, $7,979 PTA [$1.03 million cume]
* Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $582,018, $16,629 PTA [$680,000 cume]

FRIDAY MORNING: Since I literally went "over the river and through the woods" for Thanksgiving (I'm in Altoona, Pennsylvania), not a lot of analysis, but here are the numbers for Thursday. As usual, Turkey Day pushed moviegoing to a late afternoon-evening experience.

Let me preface these numbers and this analysis by stating that nobody in Hollywood, including most of my studio sources, are on holiday. I feel very good about these numbers, but there may be a slightly larger margin of error than my readers have become accustomed to.

Some things are certain. Enchanted (Disney) is box-office royalty with a $50M+ opening. I'm projecting a 5-day of $55.48M after the Disney family film grabbed just over $8M on Wednesday and nearly $7M on Thursday. If the number holds, it'll be the second-biggest Thanksgiving opening ever.

ALL TIME BIGGEST 5-DAY THANKSGIVING OPENINGS
1.Toy Story 2 — $80.1 million
2. Enchanted — $55.48 million (Estimated)
3. Unbreakable — $46 million
4. A Bug's Life — $45.8 million
5. 101 Dalmations — $45 million

Oscar watchers should get accustomed to hearing the name of Amy Adams. Her perfect comic turn, combined with the "cha-ching" of box office cash registers, make her an inevitable lock for a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, and she's just the type of fresh ingenue that Oscar voters will gravitate towards when filling out their ballots.

Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) is holding strongly, and I'm targeting $28.66 million for the five-day. I am of the belief that the PG-13 rating plus its presence at 3D and 3D IMAX venues will drive the Robert Zemeckis-directed movie to a slightly better multiple than Hitman (20th Century Fox). Still, the horribly-reviewed Timothy Olyphant video game adaptation has been solid with $4.25 million on both Wednesday and Thursday.

The holiday family comedy This Christmas (Sony) is a surprise hit, although after the success of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?, it is a little less surprising. There is an emerging market for films geared for urban and black audiences, which is good news for excellent actors like Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Delroy Lindo, Chiwetel Ejiofor and many more. This Christmas appears to be headed for a likely five-day of $25.26 million.

Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) and Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) will both enjoy a family movie surge for the holiday. Seinfeld's Bee should top $16 million and Fred will come in at right about $15 million. The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) will manage no more than $12.85 million over the long holiday weekend. It's a mystery why the distributor would dump a horror film into the market for Thanksgiving as the genre has never really performed well on this weekend. Then again, everything's a mystery at MGM/Weinstein.

August Rush (Warner Bros.), the well-reviewed little movie from James Sheridan's daughter Kirsten, is performing respectably. After $1.52 million on Wednesday, it actually got a Turkey Day bounce to $1.92 million. I'm targeting $12.4 million for the five-day weekend, and this gem could have a nice little run over the next few weeks.

Two other films are performing very well in limited release. The Coen Brothers's No Country For Old Men (Miramax) expanded to 806 locations, and the Javier Bardem-as-assassin thriller will crack the Top 10 for the long weekend with $10.73 million. Meanwhile, Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) is an arthouse "monster." From director Noah Baumbach (The Squid & the Whale), and starring his wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh, as well as Nicole Kidman and Jack Black, Margot had blistering PTA on Wednesday and on Thursday. Despite being at just 35 locations, the black comedy will likely earn $400,000 with a five-day PTA of $11,400. This monstrous start for this filmic concerto of family dysfunction will almost certainly make Noah Baumbach a lock in the Best Original Screenplay category at the Oscars, and Nicole Kidman's performance edgy, prickly and downright unlikeable character will almost certainly grab at least a Golden Globe nomination, and she shouldn't be counted out of the Oscar race.

The news was not as good for Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan opus I'm Not There (MGM/Weinstein). It should generate a PTA of $5,451 over its 5-day run for a disappointing $708,000 take.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY THURSDAY ESTIMATES
1. Enchanted (Disney) — $6.84 million, $1,835 PTA [$14.99 million cume]
2. Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $4.25 million, $1,725 PTA [$8.5 million cume]
3. This Christmas (Sony) — $4.01 million, $2,162 PTA [$6.8 million cume]
4. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $3.69 million, $40.5 million cume]
5. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $2.52 million, $721 PTA [$100.8 million cume]
6. The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $2.02 million, $838 PTA [$4 million cume]
7. American Gangster (Universal) — $1.98 million, $710 PTA [$106.5 million cume]
8. August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $1.92 million, $832 PTA [$3.8 million cume]
9. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $1.83 million, $511 PTA [$41.6 million cume]
10. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprorium (20th Century Fox) — $1.52 million, $482 PTA [$14.4 million cume]
11. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $1.44 million, $1,798 PTA [$8.4 million cume]
12. Dan in Real Life (Disney) — $740,000, $487 PTA [$39.1 million cume]

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY 5-DAY ESTIMATES
1. Enchanted (Disney) — $55.48 million, $14,875 PTA [$55.48 million cume]
2. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $28.66 million, $8,908 PTA [$61.7 million cume]
3. Hitman (20th Century Fox) — $27.2 million, $11,066 PTA [$27.2 million cume]
4. This Christmas (Sony) — $26.42 million, $14,224 PTA [$26.42 million cume]
5. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) — $16.43 million, $4,687 PTA [$112.5 million cume]
6. Fred Claus (Warner Bros.) — $14.9 million, $4,138 PTA [$52.8 million cume]
7. The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) — $12.85 million, $5,304 PTA [$12.85 million cume]
8. August Rush (Warner Bros.) — $12.4 million, $5,371 PTA [$12.4 million cume]
9. American Gangster (Universal) — $12.36 million, $4,416 PTA [$115.4 million cume]
10. No Country For Old Men (Miramax) — $10.7 million, $13,798 PTA [$17.76 million cume]
11. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emprorium (20th Century Fox) — $10.44 million, $3,297 PTA [$14.4 million cume]
12. Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) — $400,000, $11,428 PTA [$590,000 cume]