Rounding out the Top Ten was Columbia's release of Revolution Studios' PG-13 rated comedy The New Guy, down two slots in its fourth week with a dull ESTIMATED $1.5 million (-66%) at 1,676 theaters (-698 theaters; $895 per theater). Its cume is approximately $26.9 million.
Directed by Ed Decter, it stars D.J. Qualls.
"A $13 million picture that gets its nose over $30 million is pretty good," Sony's Jeff Blake observed, noting that Guy will be nicely profitable.
OTHER OPENINGS
This weekend saw the arrival of no other major openings.
SNEAK PREVIEWS
There were no national sneak previews this weekend.
EXPANSIONS
On the expansion front this weekend Miramax's PG rated comedy The Importance Of Being Earnest widened in its second week with a hopeful ESTIMATED $0.82 million at 147 theaters (+109 theaters; $5,544 per theater). Its cume is approximately $1.5 million.
Directed by Oliver Parker, it stars Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench and Tom Wilkinson.
United Artists' R rated drama CQ, released through MGM Distribution Co., expanded quietly in its second week with an ESTIMATED $58,000 at 19 theaters ($3,028 per theater). Its cume is approximately $129,000.
Written and directed by Roman Coppola, it stars Jeremy Davies and Angela Lindvall.
INTERNATIONAL
Universal's international division reported Sunday that 40 Days and 40 Nights opened in first place in Germany this weekend ahead of Star Wars: Episode II in its third week. 40 Days grossed $2.8 million in its first three days.
In Austria 40 Days finished first with a 53 percent share of the market. It's $262,000 gross from 56 playdates was 115 percent bigger than the second ranking film, Star Wars: Episode II.
In the U.K., 40 Days opened Friday to $1.1 million, ranking second to Star Wars: Episode II's third week and 37 percent ahead of Time Machine, which opened in third place.
Charlotte Gray opened well Australia on Thursday, placing second to the third week of Star Wars: Episode II with $395,000 from 160 playdates in two days.
About a Boy was fourth in its sixth week in the U.K. Its 37-day cume is $21.1 million, passing Ice Age to rank as the fourth highest grossing film in the U.K. this year (behind Monsters, Inc., Ocean's 11 and Star Wars: Episode II).
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
Key films -- those grossing more than $500,000 -- took in approximately $117.11 million, down 3.23 percent from last year when they totaled $121.02 million.
Key films for this four day holiday weekend cannot be compared to the previous weekend of this year, which was a four day holiday weekend.
Last year, Buena Vista/Touchstone's second week of Pearl Harbor was first with $29.56 million at 3,214 theaters ($9,197 per theater); and DreamWorks' third week of Shrek was second with $28.17 million at 3,661 theaters ($7,695 per theater). The top two films one year ago grossed $57.8 million. This year, the top two films grossed an ESTIMATED $51.9 million.