'Moneyball' connects at Friday B.O.

Sony's "Moneyball" is searching to accept weekend box office's top place, with experts pegging the Kaira Pitt-toplined pic's grosses within the high teens to low-$20 million range. Warner Brothers' "Dolphin Tale" will probably follow within the high teens while "Lion King" is anticipated to keep over well from a week ago and earn within the mid teens to simply south of $20 million. Lionsgate's "Abduction" is shaping as much as earn within the low to mid teens according to mid-day figures, however with youthful auds around the New England just beginning to mind towards the multiplexes, that number may pop come dusk. Open Road's "Killer Elite" will probably follow, with earnings estimations between $11 million and $12 million. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com