"King Kong," the self-proclaimed eighth wonder of the world, burst into theaters this week, but the early numbers did not reflect the scope of director Peter Jackson's latest masterpiece. Still, they should catapult the film to a solid five-day opening. The PG-13 action-adventure movie from Universal Pictures opened Wednesday in 3,568 theaters and grossed $9.8 million.

The film is unlikely to set records this weekend but should have strong legs through the holiday season. Universal is looking for opening numbers that rival Jackson's first "Lord of the Rings" project, 2001's "The Fellowship of the Ring," which opened to $75 million over five days. That easily should be surpassable considering the massive amount of hype surrounding "Kong." However, the new movie is going to have to score big today through Sunday because its Wednesday take was a little more than half of "Fellowship's" opening-day gross of $18.2 million.

What should help "Kong" is its wealth of positive reviews. However, like "Fellowship," the film is handicapped by its formidable running time of three hours and seven minutes, forcing exhibitors to schedule showings every 31⁄2 hours.

Billed as Jackson's homage to the original 1933 "King Kong," which is said to have inspired him to become a filmmaker, the updated version stays true to the classic, capturing '30s New York and the mysterious, prehistoric Skull Island. The film stars Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow, the role made famous by Fay Wray. Jack Black tackles the part of megalomaniacal director Carl Denham, and Adrien Brody plays screenwriter Jack Driscoll. Andy Serkis, the actor who breathed life into Gollum in "Rings," gives Kong his broad range of emotions while doubling as Lumpy the Cook.

"Kong" was made in Jackson's hometown of Wellington, New Zealand, at his Wellywood studios, and is based on a script adaptation by Jackson; his wife, Fran Walsh; and Philippa Boyens.

The other weakness of "Kong," which received a Golden Globe nomination for Jackson, is said to be its lack of appeal to women. The studio contends that the number has spiked in recent days, but if women do prove resistant to "Kong's" charms, that could benefit 20th Century Fox's "The Family Stone," from writer-director Thomas Bezucha ("Big Eden"), which also is opening wide.

Starring a large ensemble cast including Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney and Luke Wilson, "Stone" centers on a favorite son who comes home for the holidays with an uptight girlfriend.

Rated PG-13, the film will bow in 2,465 theaters and is unlikely to earn more then $6 million for the frame. The company hopes that the family drama will play through the holidays, using solid reviews to bolster its cause. Parker's Golden Globe nomination for her role as the girlfriend also might give the film some juice.

Focus Features will expand "Brokeback Mountain," nominated for seven Golden Globes, to 60 theaters today. Sony Pictures' "Memoirs of a Geisha" also will expand its run to 50 theaters before opening wide next weekend.

In limited release, Universal will bow the "The Producers" in six theaters. From director Susan Stroman, a long-time theater choreographer-turned-stage director, the PG-13 film features Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell. The recipient of four Globe nominations, "The Producers" is set to open wide Dec. 23.

The film centers on a crooked theater producer and his nerdy accountant -- Lane and Broderick, respectively, reprising their roles from Mel Brooks' smash Broadway musical -- who concoct a scheme to overfinance a huge flop, "Springtime for Hitler," and pocket the excess budget. But things go awry when the show becomes a smash hit.

Here is what I ended up predicting for this weekend (and obviously I know KONG won't make that much now - though I think a 3-Day weekend of 60 Million is quite possible - but this is what I went with before it opened on Wednesday, it wouldn't be right to change it once it opened):

*****MY PREDICTIONS*****

1. KING KONG - 71.2 MILLION (3-Day)/117.2 MILLION (5-Day)
2. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA - 34.7 MILLION
3. THE FAMILY STONE - 14.9 MILLION
4. SYRIANA - 7 MILLION
5. HARRY POTTER 4 - 5.4 MILLION
6. WALK THE LINE - 3.4 MILLION
7. YOURS, MINE, AND OURS - 3.2 MILLION
8. JUST FRIENDS - 2.7 MILLION
9. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN - 2.4 MILLION
10. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - 1.5 MILLION
11. PRIDE & PREJUDICE - 1.5 MILLION
12. AEON FLUX - 1.4 MILLION