Sony's sci-fi action epic Total Recall is in a close race with holdover The Dark Knight Rises at the Friday box office, with each pic on track to gross in the $9 million to $10.5 million range.

PHOTOS: 'Total Recall' Premiere

It's possible that Total Recall -- headlining Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel -- could win the Friday race and even cross $11 million, but most observers believe Dark Knight Rises will pull ahead on Saturday and stay atop the domestic box office for a third weekend in a row.

Total Recall, based both on the 1990 Paul Verhoeven film and the short story by Philip K. Dick, is expected to earn in the high-$20 million range for the weekend, while Dark Knight Rises is slotted to gross $31 million to $34 million. Some believe Total Recall also could cross $30 million, though.

The weekend's other new entry is Fox's family pic Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days. The threequel is expected to gross $6.5 million to $7.5 million on Friday for a weekend debut north of $17.5 million.

VIDEO: 'Total Recall' Star Jessica Biel Says 'There Was Nothing Girly' About Fight Scene with Kate Beckinsale

Research tracking firm NRG continues to advise studios that 20 percent of the moviegoing audience remains skittish about going to see a movie in the wake of the Aurora theater shooting during a midnight screening of Dark Knight Rises on July 20. And the London Olympics are proving a huge draw.

Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Rises, from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, has earned north of $600 million worldwide in its first two weeks, a massive number even though the film continues to pace behind its 2008 predecessor The Dark Knight.

Overseas, Universal's Ted is making headlines as it opens in another 10 markets, including Germany, where it grossed $1.2 million on Thursday to top the box office. And in the U.K., the R-rated comedy from writer-director Seth MacFarlane earned a stellar $5.3 million in its first two days of previews.

Ted has been rolling out slowly overseas, earning an impressive $54.5 million to date.

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David Frankel's adult comedy-drama Hope Springs opened to $2.3 million at the domestic box office Wednesday, putting it on course for a modest five-day debut in the $15 million to $16 million range.

Hope Springs -- starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones and Steve Carell -- opened at No. 2 behind The Dark Knight Rises, which grossed $3.7 million for a domestic cume of $367 million.

FILM REVIEW: Hope Springs

Reuniting Streep and Frankel for the first time since The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, Hope Springs is about an older couple who go to a couple's retreat. 

The film is tracking best among older women and couples. Studio insiders caution that the 2012 Summer Olympics are likely to distract older moviegoers but are confident that the film will have strong legs.

Hope Springs also could face some competition from Warner Bros.' comedy The Campaign, which opens Friday and stars Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. Campaign is likely to play to a broader audience.

Sony acquired domestic rights to Hope Springs for roughly $15 million in partnership with MGM.

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