Box Office Report: Jon Favreau's 'Cowboys & Aliens' Eyeing $36-$43 Million Opening

Jon Favreau’s big-budget Cowboys & Aliens is looking at an opening weekend gross of $36 million to $43 million, and will need young males to turn out in force if it’s to hit the high end.

our editor recommends

Box Office Preview: 'Cowboys & Aliens' Gallops Into Theaters

Olivia Wilde on Going Nude in 'Cowboys & Aliens,' 'The Change-Up'

Based on tracking, most thought the DreamWorks and Universal pic would open in the $45 million range. Universal itself said low 40s to mid 40s.

PHOTOS: Best and Worst Alien Movies

According to very early estimates, Cowboys — starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford — should gross $14 million to $16 million on Friday. The pic earned a soft $700,000 in 1,200 midnight runs, a sign that younger fanboys didn’t turn out.

That’s not a huge surprise, considering Westerns generally appeal to an older audience, even if Cowboys movie is just as much of a sci-fi pic (Favreau likes to call his film a genre mash-up). Older males are the most interested in seeing the unique, high-concept film, but tracking was also relatively strong among males under the age of 25. Whether the tracking was misleading remains to be seen.

VIDEO: 'Cowboys & Aliens' Harrison Ford Settles a 'Star Wars' Score

Cowboys is performing roughly 12 percent ahead of Paramount’s Super 8, also an original event film.

Super 8 grossed $13.1 million on its first Friday (including $500,000 in midnight shows), along with $1 million in special sneaks the pervious Thursday night. Super 8 went on to post an opening weekend gross of $36.5 million.

The big difference between the two movies is their cost. J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 reportedly cost $55 million to make, while Cowboys cost $163 million after tax rebates.

DreamWorks financed half of the budget, while Universal and Relativity Media each put up 25 percent.