‘Dukes’ is weekend’s king

“The Dukes of Hazzard” revved-up weekend box office with about $30.6 million, Warner Bros. estimated Sunday.

Expanding by 1,089 theaters into 1,867 locations, “March of the Penguins” moved up to sixth place from two weekends at No. 10. The documentary took in an estimated $6.9 million, which brings the total for the Warner Independent Pictures release to about $26.2 million.

Among films debuting impressively in a limited number of theaters, Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai’s “2046” took in $112,856, Sony Pictures Classics reported. “Junebug,” also from Sony Classics, took in about $77,080.

Focus Features reported that “Broken Flowers,” director Jim Jarmusch’s acclaimed new film with Bill Murray, took in about $745,394.

Although totals for these films may seem puny next to studio blockbusters, they are a fairly reliable gauge of audience interest in the metropolitan markets because people have to go to a little more trouble to see them.

And although Time Warner can boast that its movie subsidiaries have five of the top 10 films over the weekend (“Dukes,” New Line’s “Wedding Crashers,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Must Love Dogs” and “Penguins”), “2046” had the biggest average crowds at individual locations of any movie in release.

Overall, the box office squeezed ahead of last weekend by about 1%, according to tracking firm Nielsen EDI Inc.

That said, the box office continues to struggle this year. Ticket sales are down 10% for the summer and 8% for the year to date.

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Preliminary results (in millions) based on studio projections.

*--* Movie 3-day gross Total The Dukes of Hazzard $30.6 $30.6

Wedding Crashers 16.5 144.1

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 10.6 169.0

Sky High 9.0 32.1

Must Love Dogs 7.4 26.3

March of the Penguins 6.9 26.2

Stealth 5.8 24.5

Fantastic Four 4.1 143.8

War of the Worlds 3.6 224.6

The Island 3.1 30.9

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Source: Nielsen EDI Inc.