The Battle For Biggest Memorial Day Weekend Ever

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull earned an estimated $101 million between Friday and Sunday, which gives the film an outside chance of trumping the previous Memorial Day holiday champion, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, for the five-day record.

During the same period last year, Pirates earned $153 million. Crystal Skull is expected to earn $151 million, with the official figures scheduled to be released Wednesday.

More importantly to the studio, the success of Indiana Jones will equal that of Pirates on an international level because of the strength of foreign currency. The struggles of the American economy also contributes to the fact that the box office returns are down from last year (ticket sales are down 4% in 2008 compared to last year, and admissions are down 6.7%, according to Media by the Numbers).

The top five films from this past Memorial Day weekend, according to Media by the Numbers are:

1) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, $101 million;
2) The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian;
3) Iron Man, $20.1 million; What Happens in Vegas, $9 million; Speed Racer, $4 million.