'IRON MAN 2' MIDNIGHT SCREENINGS SCORE $7.5M WITH WEEKEND PREDICTIONS ALL OVER THE MAP (HWD)

By Paul Dergarabedian & Wiretap Staff

It's finally here! The all-important Summer Movie Season is upon us and we've already kicked off with a bang as Paramount and Marvel Comic's "Iron Man 2" midnight screenings generated around $7.5 million.

Over $900,000 of that came from 180 sold-out IMAX screens in North America and represents yet another record for the giant screen juggernaut for pure midnight showings ("pure" meaning no 10pm screenings that overlap into the next day).

Keeping in mind that kids are still in school and that a huge portion of "Iron Man's" appeal is to older working audiences as well, we should not let the midnight gross detract from the fact that Friday night and weekend grosses will be massive and generate an impressive overall three-day number.

Opening weekend predictions are all over the map with estimates ranging from over $100 million to close to $160 million, thus proving that predicting box-office (though sometimes fun), is mostly a folly.

Regardless, "Iron Man 2" is the embodiment of what the summer season is all about and audiences are geared up for the next 17 weeks of summer movie fun.

In one of the coolest counter-programming moves ever, Focus Features presents the irresistible documentary "Babies" and they are rolling it out in a confidence reflecting 534 theatres against the obvious blockbuster-styling's of "Iron Man 2."

Sort of a "March of the Penguins" for the human world, "Babies" has a trailer that has gone big time viral and has peaked interest in even the most jaded and cynical moviegoer. It's very refreshing to see this type of inspired release date timing and it should pay off for the "Babies" of the world this weekend and in coming weeks as it starts to crawl its way to legendary box-office status.

The first weekend of a shorter summer season this year at 17 weeks (vs. the usual 18 due to the calendar), the biggest season for Hollywood now begins with all eyes on the performance of each and every summer release as audiences try to keep up with the barrage of big films hitting the multiplex.

With seven 3-D titles and nine sequels we are looking for this to become the fourth consecutive summer movie season to generate over $4 billion in revenue and add its share of new records to the books.