Lions Gate Films PG-13 rated comedy thriller The Cat's Meow expanded in its third week to a hopeful ESTIMATED $0.47 million at 135 theaters (+124 theaters; $3,445 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.75 million.

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, it stars Kirsten Dunst, Eddie Izzard, Edward Herrmann, Cary Elwes, Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Tilly.

Paramount Classics' PG-13 rated romantic comedy The Triumph of Love went wider in its second week with a slow ESTIMATED $82,000 at 46 theaters (+28 theaters; $1,790 per theater). Its cume is approximately $0.17 million.

Directed by Clare Peploe, it stars Mira Sorvino, Fiona Shaw, Jay Rodan, Rachael Stirling and Ben Kingsley.

INTERNATIONAL

Universal's international division reported Sunday morning that About A Boy opened in first place in the U.K. to a terrific $3.9 million for two days on 433 playdates. The film captured a 34 percent share of the U.K. market, performing 20 percent ahead of the studio's past hit Notting Hill and 22 percent ahead of its current hit Ali G Inda House.

The Scorpion King opened in 23 more countries this weekend. Among the film's early results:

In Germany it opened number one with $1.3 million on 668 playdates its first three days.

In Italy it got off to a strong start opening on Wednesday with a holiday on Thursday. In its first two days, it grossed $443,000 on 230 playdates.

In the Netherlands it opened in first place with $225,000 on 84 playdates.

In Spain it opened to $636,000 on 289 playdates in its first two days.

King was number one in Argentina with $43,000 on 50 playdates. It was first in Brazil with $535,000 on 187 playdates, a 36 percent share of the market. In Mexico it finished first with $920,000 on 303 playdates, also a 36 percent market share.

King also enjoyed success in holdover situations. In Australia, it grossed $650,000 on 191 playdates, down 35% from its opening. It ranked second to the opening of We Were Soldiers with $1.0 million on 195 playdates.

In the U.K., King grossed $1.0 million (-32%) on 407 playdates. It was third in the market, behind About A Boy and Bend it Like Beckham, which grossed $1.3 million (-35%) on 395 playdates.

Ali G Inda House, Universal's latest film from Working Title, was 14th in its sixth week of release in the U.K. Its Friday-Saturday gross was $90,000 on 147 playdates. Its cume after 37 days is $14.3 million.

Forty Days and Forty Nights, which Universal is releasing internationally, opened in Australia last Thursday to an outstanding $600,000 on 150 playdates. It moved up one rung to third place Saturday.

E.T. opened Saturday in Japan to an estimated $395,000. Japan is celebrating its Golden Week holiday, which is expected to have a good effect at the box office.

WEEKEND COMPARISONS

Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 -- took in approximately $76.36 million, up about 21.98 percent from last year when they totaled $62.6 million.

Key films this weekend were down about 22.19 percent from the previous weekend of this year's total of $98.13 million.

Last year, Warner Bros. and Franchise Films' opening week of Driven was first with $12.17 million at 2,905 theaters ($4,191 per theater); and Miramax and Universal's third week of Bridget Jones's Diary was second with $7.53 million at 2,532 theaters ($2,973 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $19.7 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $26.6 million.