The witching hour was anything but a horror show for "Terminator Salvation."

Warner Bros. unspooled the sci-fi-action feature -- the fourth "Terminator" movie and the first in almost six years -- in 3,450 theaters Thursday, with thousands of the venues programing midnight Wednesday performances for the Sam Worthington/Christian Bale-starring film.

Data on the picture's total Thursday coin won't be in until Friday, but early estimates suggested that "Salvation" midnight performances alone fetched more than $3 million domestically.

Though not a record, the sum serves as the first hard evidence of a potent fan base for the film. "Salvation" is touted to do $70 million or more over its first five days in release, a projection based on an anticipated big Thursday tally and robust business expected during the always lucrative Memorial Day weekend.

Sony Pictures is handling the lion's share of international distribution for "Salvation," which will see most of its foreign debuts in two weeks.

On Friday, 20th Century Fox bows its action-comedy sequel "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" in 4,096 locations. And Paramount unspools the Wayans brothers' spoof "Dance Flick" with some 2,300 playdates.

(China Daily/Agencies May 22, 2009)