DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox's R rated adult appeal drama The Road To Perdition, which ended up placing first last weekend after a down-to-the-wire race with Stuart 2, dropped one slot to second place in its third week, holding very well with an ESTIMATED $11.0 million (-29%) at 2,250 theaters (+91 theaters; $4,897 per theater). Its cume is approximately $65.6 million.

Directed by Sam Mendes, it stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law.

Columbia's PG rated family comedy sequel Stuart Little 2 slid one peg to third place in its second weekend, also showing good legs with an ESTIMATED $10.7 million (-29%) at 3,282 theaters (+27 theaters; $3,260 per theater). Its cume is approximately $34.8 million.

Directed by Rob Minkoff, it stars Geena Davis.

"Down 29 percent -- you can't ask for much better than that," Sony Pictures Entertainment worldwide marketing & distribution president Jeff Blake said Sunday morning. "The mid-week business was very strong last week where -- even though we were slightly behind Road To Perdition (for the weekend) as we are this weekend -- the seven day numbers were substantially higher (for Stuart 2)."

That was, of course, exactly what happened with Buena Vista/Disney's animated Lilo & Stitch when it opened against 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks' Minority Report earlier this summer. While Minority took the weekend by a small lead, Lilo ended up out-grossing it for the full week.

"We're experiencing very much (with Stuart 2) the kind of ride that Disney gets," Blake said.

Asked where Stuart 2 is heading, Blake replied, "That's why we certainly hope for more than the usual. So it's a little hard to say at this point. We're still hoping that it keeps adding up in an above average manner. Normally, you'd look at this and say, 'Well, maybe about $75 million (in domestic theaters).' But we're still hoping for more."

Reflecting on the marketplace and looking ahead to August, Blake observed, "Anybody who thought the summer is over is crazy. It's going to keep coming, I think -- straight through XXX (Aug. 9 at 3,500-plus theaters), as far as we're concerned."

Columbia's PG-13 rated blockbuster sequel Men In Black II fell one notch to fourth place in its fourth week with an okay ESTIMATED $8.7 million (-40%) at 3,542 theaters (-99 theaters; $2,456 per theater). Its cume is approximately $173.6 million.

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, it stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.

"Heading to $200 million, it looks like," Sony's Jeff Blake said. "And, by the way, the international openings continue to be magnificent. We were six for six with number one openings in countries this weekend. I don't think it has not opened number one anywhere so far."

Paramount and Intermedia Films' PG-13 rated Russian submarine drama K-19: The Widowmaker went to a watery grave, dropping one fathom to fifth place in its second weekend with a hopeless ESTIMATED $7.33 million (-43%) at 2,830 theaters (+2 theaters; $2,588 per theater). Its cume is approximately $25.0 million.

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, it stars Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson.

Buena Vista/Disney's G rated family comedy The Country Bears kicked off slowly in sixth place to an ESTIMATED $5.2 million at 2,553 theaters ($2,042 per theater).

Directed by Peter Hastings, it stars Christopher Walken.

Columbia and New Line's PG-13 rated comedy Mr. Deeds slid one rung to seventh place in its fifth week with a quiet ESTIMATED $4.2 million (-43%) at 2,309 theaters (-514 theaters; $1,819 per theater). Deeds, which was made for only $55 million, has a cume of approximately $116.1 million, heading for $125 million in domestic theaters.

Directed by Steven Brill, it stars Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder.