Everybody expects the weekend to bring some chaos in what concerns big screen productions and their frenzied performances at the U.S. box office.

The much talked-about Ben Stiller R-rated comedy “Tropic Thunder” debuted on Wednesday in theaters, earning approximately $6.5 million in its first day of release. That’s far from overtaking stoner comedy “Pineapple Express’” record-breaking $12.1 million opening last week, but studio executives remained optimistic, claiming that Ben Stiller’s controversial parody was very likely to surpass the Judd Apatow-produced movie’s five-day revenue of $41.3 million.

The turbulent satire on Hollywood film industry is expected to earn more of its first-week revenue throughout the weekend, DreamWorks/Paramount insiders predicting that the movie will gross about $25 million, approximately $2 million more than the hilarious pothead-comedy’s $23 million first-weekend winnings.

And that’s not it. Such an impressive “Tropic Thunder” performance will surely strike Warner Bros.’ summer blockbuster “The Dark Knight”, making it slip from its four-weekend long No. 1 position at the domestic box office. Reuters reported that the Batman sequel starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger was likely to fall from 40 to 45 percent from last weekend’s $26 million mark, collecting only $14 million, a performance which can’t claim more than a third position in the box-office rankings this weekend.

Notwithstanding the angry protests over “Tropic Thunder” by U.S. groups that advocate for the disabled, the Ben Stiller directed, co-written, co-produced and starred movie does not deride people who suffer from real disabilities, it only laughs at film industry stars, agents, wannabe VIPs, scornful and contemptuous directors, and even their narrow-minded fans. “Tropic Thunder” is a simple satire which depicts the “upper” world as if it were a certain down fall. Members of this exclusive society are ridiculed and described in a negative manner, while their intelligence is seriously questioned, but there is no reference whatsoever in the picture that might lead one to consider that the subjects of the parody are the mentally retarded.

Tugg Speedman, the character impersonated by Ben Stiller himself, is without a shred of doubt the most preposterous persona in the movie - vigorous, active, and able-bodied, he might be thought of as unable-minded. He is no more than an aspirant action star who hopes to resurrect his numb career by playing in a high-budget Vietnam War film also called “Tropic Thunder.” He goes all-out to restore the miserable way he is seen after being “Simple Jack” for too long, a simply character.

Accompanied by the other three show-offs, Robert Downey Jr.’s black or white Lazarus, Jack Black’s Portnoy and Brandon Jackson’s Alpa Chino, Speedman goes in the jungle so as to start filming for the fresh war production. Nevertheless, the four prima donnas get into a pickle when they are violently assaulted by the army of some major jungle drug lord. The boasters take everything as part of the movie’s special effects and the parody begins!

Robert Downey Jr. is outrageously hilarious and his outstanding performance may even give the impression (true or not) that he steals the movie away from its star/director Stiller.

The parody is, of course, tactless, insensitive, maybe sometimes rude, but too much noise was made about nothing. However, it should be interesting to observe if all the controversy “Tropic Thunder” sparked will smooth the progress of its way towards the box office rankings’ top, washing out the up-to-now invincible “Dark Knight.”