Weekend Box Office Preview -- Will Smith Triumph?

Box Office Prophets predicts "Charlotte's Web" will win the box office crown this weekend with $22 million, followed by "Eragon" at $17 million and Will Smith's "The Pursuit of Happyness" at $15 million. They're crazy. Will Smith is a huge star with a huge reservoir of good will from the public. Plus, black audiences traditionally are heavy moviegoers on opening weekend, the movie got by far the best reviews of the three, Smith got a Golden Globe nomination, he's been on every talk show in sight and it's good. Word of mouth is going to be terrific for what I believe will be the family film of the year (you can certainly take younger kids despite one bad curse word and a painful separation by two parents). And of course the movie's good enough to bring in adults who don't have kids in tow. "Charlotte's Web" is rated G and is getting very mixed reviews while "Eragon" is getting slaughtered. Since he became a superstar with "Independence Day," only "Ali" and "The Legend Of Bagger Vance" opened in the $10 million to $15 million range and Smith's last five movies have opened to $40 million+. This isn't that kind of movie (a big action film, etc.) but it is broadly appealing. It's gonna win the box office this weekend and have terrific legs.