Smaller wave of enthusiasm

“Ocean’s Thirteen” opened a shade below the first two films in the series, although those were launched in December. Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub are predicting strong legs for the latest film.

“Surf’s Up,” the second film from Sony Pictures’ new animation division, also fell shy of analysts’ expectations. Perhaps the novelty of animated penguins has worn off after “Madagascar” and “Happy Feet.”

“Hostel: Part II,” the weekend’s other major new release, opened to less than half its predecessor’s total. A glut of horror movies could be a factor.

The movie industry’s overall results were down from a year earlier for the second straight weekend.

One bright spot: Judd Apatow’s comedy “Knocked Up” showed powerful legs in its second weekend, sliding a modest 35% thanks to enthusiastic word-of-mouth.

Preliminary results (in millions) in the U.S. and Canada, based on studio projections:

*--* Movie 3-day gross Total (studio) (millions) (millions) Weeks

1 Ocean’s Thirteen (Warner Bros.) $37.1 $37.1 1

2 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (Disney) 21.3 253.6 3

3 Knocked Up (Universal) 20.0 66.2 2

4 Surf’s Up (Sony) 18.0 18.0 1

5 Shrek the Third (DreamWorks 15.8 281.9 4 Animation/Paramount)

6 Hostel: Part II (Lions Gate) 8.8 8.8 1

7 Mr. Brooks (MGM) 5.0 18.7 2

8 Spider-Man 3 (Sony) 4.4 325.7 6

9 Waitress (Fox Searchlight) 1.7 12.0 6

10 Disturbia (Paramount) 0.6 77.8 9

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Industry totals

*--* 3-day gross Change Year-to-date gross Change (in millions) from 2006 (in billions) from 2006 $143.0 -7.0% $3.96 +4.7%

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Note: A movie may be shown on more than one screen at each venue.

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Source: Media by Numbers

Los Angeles Times