Sony is projecting a $23 million haul for The Social Network‘s opening weekend, according to Box Office.com’s Phil Contrino. $8 million on Friday, $8.9 million on Saturday and a projected $6.1 million for Sunday.

That’s okay because The Social Network will hang in there for the long run. But it’s not the balls-out opening I was looking for. No way it’s the movie’s fault or that of the marketing. It’s simply the failure of a good portion of the American public to come out of their gopher holes and breathe in the cultural air and smell the fresh-brewed coffee. It’s all those 20something slackers thinking they’ve got enough Facebook in their lives without absorbing a movie version plus Average Joes wondering if it’s absolutely essential to see theatrically plus the slouchy mentality and class resentments of Joe Hinterland Popcorn.