MGM's PG-13 rated urban appeal comedy Barbershop dropped two notches to fifth place in its fourth week, still looking good with an ESTIMATED $6.8 million (-32%) at 2,176 theaters (+125 theaters; $3,125 per theater). Its cume is approximately $60.2 million, heading for $75-80 million in domestic theaters.

Directed by Tim Story, it stars Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve and Cedric The Entertainer.

The G rated animated feature Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie from Artisan's FHE Pictures and Big Idea Productions opened in sixth place to a very ripe ESTIMATED $6.5 million at 940 theaters ($6,915 per theater).

Directed by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki, it was produced by Ameake Owens.

"We're remarkably happy with these results," Artisan distribution head Steve Rothenberg said Sunday morning.

Jonah's strong showing in sixth place, he said, "is remarkable given that most of the films we're around have two, three or four times the number of screens we've got. So clearly we performed at a number that we're very happy with."

Asked about the film's release at only 940 theaters, Rothenberg explained, "We tried to be very strategic with our plan. The reason we went with 940 is that when we analyzed the (big selling) videos that the series is based on -- they've been around for about 10 years -- they didn't have very good penetration in the northeast. So we decided we would put all our concentration of marketing dollars and promotional effort with church groups and other organizations in the south, the mid-west and the west, where the strength had been.

"So we didn't open the New York branch, the Boston branch, the Philly branch, the D.C. branch. Now that the success is obviously there, we're going to expand on Oct. 18. We're going to take a break this weekend -- as you know, it's suicidal. There are six movies that I show that are going (to open) with at least 1,000 or more screens. It's going to be crazy out there. On the 18th, we're going to come into the northeast and give it a shot there."

Focusing on Jonah, he said, "These are animated vegetables. A series of recurring characters over the last decade that (were created by) Big Ideas. Essentially what they do is tell Bible stories, but they do them with a Monty Pythonesque sense of humor. It's really a very brilliant marketing ploy because they can now get families to sit and watch them. Kids like them because they're singing and dancing vegetables that tell simple Bible stories, but the adults can be entertained because the humor is very Pythonesque and will make you laugh out loud as an adult. It's their first foray into features and clearly their fan base came out in droves.

"The exit polls were very encouraging. They basically confirmed what our research screenings in the past had showed, which is that the fans loved the movie. The people who see this film are loving it because it's an expanded version of what they've seen in the videos with beautiful CGI animation. The numbers were absolutely wonderful so we know that the people who saw it will like it and now we're just hoping they'll spread the word to the people who are 'non-converted,' who don't know about the series but certainly are in search of good family entertainment."

Artisan's timing was good, as well, he added: "We specifically planned not to go in the summer. We knew the summer was crazy with kids' films once a week. We didn't want to go in September for two reasons. Number one, we wanted some distance between the summer films. And, secondly, back-to-school time is probably the worst time to come out with family stuff.

"We figured Oct. 4 would be a great time to go. It would get us out of that September period and give us a six or seven week cushion from the last youth oriented film, which was Spy Kids 2. (We felt) the timing was right, the marketplace was ready and, clearly, at least initially the numbers back that up."