Big Hollywood‘s Steve Mason is reporting that contrary to yesterday’s expectations, Clint Eastwood‘s Gran Torino has cleaned the Bride Wars clock. The deeply loathed Kate Hudson-Anne Hathaway comedy made about $7.5 million yesterday for a projected $21 million by Sunday night, but Torino will beat that total by $9 million.

The wide-breaking Eastwood flick tallied $10 million yesterday and could hit $30 million by Sunday night, which would be an opening-weekend Eastwood high. (The second biggest is the $18,9 million earned by Space Cowboys followed by $15.2 million for In The Line of Fire.) Add this to the holiday platform earnings and Torino will have about $41 million.

This sort of commercial success could boost the chances of Eastwood landing a Best Actor nomination…no? Especially since he deserves one on the merits alone?