Willie Wonka is giving last week's heroic quartet a run for their money for opening weekend bragging rights. Last week's final numbers for Fantastic Four put them at just over $56 million in their first weekend. Estimates (that's right, what we give you on Sunday afternoons is only an estimate...psychics have yet to lend their services to tell us a weekend's exact total take before Sunday's showings even start) um, where was I? Ah, yes, estimates show Wonka and company at an unexpectedly impressive $55+ million, close enough to possible top Reed Richards and friends after final numbers are in.

Wedding Crashers also did better than most expected, raking in a handsome $32 million dollars. With that kind of money this might be the new Dumb and Dumber (which only made $16 million its first weekend). Does that make Vince Vaughn the new Jim Carrey?

On a side note, I have a point of interest for folks out there who loved War of the Worlds because of Morgan Freeman's voiceover. There's more! Freeman's other summer voiceover flick, March of the Penguins, is steadily climbing the charts. In the last few weeks it has jumped from 28th place to 18th, then to 13th last week. This week it creeps up to number 12 as its release continues to expand. Look for it to possibly break into the top ten soon as dead wood like Madagascar and Bewitched drop off.

On a further side note, Star Wars has dropped off the list after an impressive eight week ride. One would think that means Star Wars has now vanished from the top ten forever. One would be wrong. Look for Lucas to milk his cash cow until the udders bleed with 3D versions of all six films likely appearing in a time not so far from now in theaters not so far away.

TOP TEN: July 15-17

1. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* - $55,380,000 ($55,380,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

2. Wedding Crashers* - $32,225,000 ($32,225,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

3. Fantastic Four - $22,725,000 ($100,137,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

4. War of the Worlds - $15,000,000 ($192,191,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

5. Batman Begins - $5,620,000 ($182,726,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

6. Mr. and Mrs. Smith - $5,050,000 ($168,092,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

7. Dark Water - $4,409,000 ($18,685,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

8. Herbie: Fully Loaded - $3,355,000 ($55,702,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

9. Bewitched - $2,400,000 ($56,870,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

10. Madagascar - $2,100,000 ($183,875,000 ) [CB REVIEW]

* Denotes new release.