LOS ANGELES - After paying their dues on the small screen for 18 years, "The Simpsons" have become movie superstars in just one day.

A scene from 'The Simpsons Movie' in an image courtesy of 20th Century Fox.[Reuters]

"The Simpsons Movie," an animated feature based on the TV mainstays from Springfield, smashed industry expectations to earn an estimated $29.1 million on its first day of release on Friday in the United States and Canada, tracking firm Box Office Mojo (http://www.boxofficemojo.com) said.

The tally represents the fifth-biggest start so far this year, the company said, and means the movie will likely exceed forecasts when estimates for the weekend are issued on Sunday.

The film's distributor, 20th Century Fox, had cautiously hoped the movie would hit the mid-$30 million range for the Friday-to-Sunday period. Industry analysts were more bullish, forecasting a three-day opening in the $50 million range.

In May, "Shrek the Third" -- another well-known animated franchise -- earned about $39 million on its first day and $121.6 million for the weekend. If "The Simpsons Movie" follows the same trajectory, it will test the $90 million range.

The film reportedly cost the News Corp.-owned studio about $70 million to make.

Elsewhere at theaters on Friday, Box Office Mojo estimated that last weekend's champ, the Universal Pictures comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry" slipped to a distant No. 2 with $6.2 million/

It was followed by the New Line Cinema musical "Hairspray" ($5.2 million) and Warner Bros. Pictures' boy wizard saga "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" ($5.0 million).

Warner's new Catherine Zeta-Jones romantic comedy "No Reservations" opened at No. 5 with a lukewarm $4.0 million.

At least it did better than the latest bomb from troubled actress Lindsay Lohan. Her Sony Pictures thriller "I Know Who Killed Me" opened at No. 9 with $1.3 million. It will be lucky to crack $5 million for the weekend.

Lohan was arrested in Los Angeles early Tuesday for suspected drunk driving and cocaine possession after a high-speed car chase.

Universal Pictures is a unit of General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal Inc. New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. are units of Time Warner Inc. Sony Pictures is a unit of Sony Corp.