What HBII has, something that Marvel's The Incredible Hulk could have used more of, is fun. As played by Ron Perlman (in heavy prosthetics), Hellboy is funny, and del Toro has crafted a wisecracking, snarky screenplay with a lot of laughs. One of my regular studio sources described the film this week as being "a little out there." My opinion all along has been that it is way out there — and that's a good thing.

The original Hellboy opened with only $23.17 million en route to about $60 million domestic, but the movie has gained traction on cable and DVD. Del Toro's stunning visuals, including some staggeringly bizarre creatures, sold the new installment in trailers and commercials, and there was some cleverness in the marketing (like this wry faux appearance of Hellboy on Inside the Actor's Studio).

The Golden Army will not only be del Toro's biggest opening ever, it will also likely become the overall top grossing movie on his resume with more than $100 million likely.

FILMS DIRECTED BY GUILLERMO DEL TORO
Cronos (1994) — $17,500 opening, $625,000 cume
Mimic (1997) — $7.81 million opening, $25.48 million cume
The Devil's Backbone (2001) — $35,000 opening, $755,000 cume
Blade II (2002) — $32.52 million opening, $82.34 million cume
Hellboy (2004) — $23.17 million opening, $59.62 million cume
Pan's Labyrinth (2006) — $570,000 opening, $37.63 million cume
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2006) — $35 million opening (Estimated)

HBII's excellent opening is good news for Universal as it follows the back-to-back $100 million successes of The Incredible Hulk and Wanted (which will likely finish No. 5 this weekend with an estimated $11.5 million). If HBII can top $100 million, then Mamma Mia will likely make it four blockbusters in a row. You can certainly argue that the new Hulk, at less than $130 million domestic, is a disappointment, but back-to-back-to-back-to-back $100 million movies is no small feat. For Universal, it would be the second consecutive summer with four $100 million hits in a row.

UNIVERSAL SUMMER 2007 BLOCKBUSTERS
Knocked Up (Released June 1) — $148.76 million cume
Evan Almighty (Released June 22) — $100.46 million  cume
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (Released July 22) — $120 million  cume
The Bourne Ultimatum (Released August 3) — $227.47 million cume

In 2008, however, Universal has a chance to go the summer of 2007 one better, with Brendan Fraser's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor set to open Aug. 1. Since the first two Mummy movies topped $100 million, it is fair to expect that Universal will have its fifth consecutive movie with a take of at least $100 million. I cannot find another instance where any Hollywood studio has pulled off that trick.

Sony's Hancock was a strong No. 2 with an estimated $13 million Saturday, and it should soar to a strong $33.3 million second weekend, for a new cume of $165 million. That represents about a 47 percent drop from its opening weekend, and that is a very good hold (especially when you consider that it played strongly for two days leading into its first three-day weekend frame). As I reported earlier this week, despite negative reviews from critics, rank-and-file moviegoers seem to like Hancock, and it will easily cruise past $200 million domestic.

Meanwhile Journey to the Center of the Earth (Warner Bros.), which is spectacular in 3D, has been hurt by the relatively lazy pace at which exhibitors have been investing in Digital 3D technology. The Brendan Fraser family comedy debuted at an estimated 800 theatres with 3D technology, compared to 2,000 or so traditional locations. Reports are that the film is performing dramatically better where 3D is available. All in, Journey managed $8 million on Saturday, which should result in $21 million for the three-day. That marks Fraser's all-time third-best opening:

ALL-TIME TOP 5 BRENDAN FRASER OPENINGS
1. The Mummy Returns — $68.13 million
2. The Mummy — $43.36 million
3. Journey to the Center of the Earth  — $21 million (Estimated)
4. George of the Jungle — $16.54 million
5. Bedazzled — $13.1 million

Disney's WALL-E, the latest from Pixar, scooped up $8 million on Saturday, and it is headed for a very steady $18.9 million or so, and a new cume of $163 million. Based on the way this film is playing, Andrew Stanton's instant classic has a real chance at more than $250 million domestic.

I generally try to avoid words like disaster and bomb in my box-office analysis, but Eddie Murphy's Meet Dave (20th Century Fox) is underperforming its already shockingly low industry expectations. Directed by Brian Robbins, who successfully teamed with Murphy on last year's DreamWorks hit Norbit, it was fair to expect that Meet Dave would rally from its poor industry tracking to deliver something respectable on opening weekend. There was no rally.

It appears that Meet Dave has scrounged up only $2 million in Saturday ticket sales, and I am projecting an embarrassing $5.65 million opening weekend. That makes it Murphy's second-worst wide opening ever, finishing better than only The Adventures of Pluto Nash ($2.18 million).

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY ESTIMATES
1. NEW Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Universal) — $35 million, $10,924 PTA, $35 million cume
2. Hancock (Sony) — $33.31 million, $8,402 PTA, $165.34 million cume 
3. NEW Journey to the Center of the Earth (Warner Bros.) — $21 million, $7,471 PTA, $21 million cume
4. WALL-E (Disney) — $18.9 million, $4,910 PTA, $163.16 million cume
5. Wanted (Universal) — $12 million, $3,799 PTA, $112.45 million cume 
6. Get Smart (Warner Bros.) — $7.8 million, $2,528 PTA, $112.16 million cume
7. NEW Meet Dave (20th Century Fox) — $5.65 million, $1,876 PTA, $5.65 million cume 
8. Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks/Paramount) — $4.6 million, $1,702 PTA, $202.34 million cume 
9. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (Picturehouse) — $2.47 million, $1,339 PTA, $11.16 million cume
10. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Paramount) — $2.04 million, $1,226 PTA, $310.26 million cume