This Is It = $12 Million in Day 1

Initial box-office estimates for Michael Jackson's This is It's opening day have come in at around $12 million -- not quite what you'd call a blistering pace but pretty strong nevertheless for a non-franchise Wednesday opening in late October. That should drop off today, with a Friday surge heading into Halloween weekend. A $65 million five-day gross isn't out of the question; Sony boss Michael Lynton might attribute this to the studio's piracy-busting efforts, but those in the know recognize Phinnessee Power when we see it. [DHD]