Pirates, Shrek set to repeat atop box office

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-06-01 15:56

LOS ANGELES - After a month of high-octane, A-list tent poles, the North American box office gets a breather of sorts this weekend as not one sequel enters the marketplace. It will be a brief respite, however, as "Ocean's Thirteen" hits theaters June 8.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," which opened to $127 million last weekend, will hold on to the top spot, followed by "Shrek the Third." The pregnancy comedy "Knocked Up" will likely open at No. 3, ahead of "Spider-Man 3."

Industry observers think "Knocked Up" should open in the high-teen millions.

Katherine Heigl (ABC's "Grey's Anatomy") stars as an up-and-coming entertainment journalist who becomes pregnant after a drunken one-night stand with a lovable slacker (Seth Rogen). She decides to give him a chance, and he faces the question of whether he will hit the road or stay with the mom-to-be.

"Knocked Up" will appeal largely to males and females in the 18-34 demo but could find a wider audience as early polling has found interest across the board.

It was written and directed by Judd Apatow, whose previous effort, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," opened in August 2005 to a respectable $21.4 million. It went on to generate $109.2 million by the time it left theaters in December.

MGM's "Mr. Brooks," a crime drama about the destructive path of a violent serial killer ( Kevin Costner), is expected to arrive in the $10 million range. The R-rated feature, co-starring William Hurt and Demi Moore, was directed by Bruce A. Evans.

The only other wide release is Picturehouse's "Gracie," a family-friendly inspirational soccer drama. The fact-based film centers on a girl who fights to play on the boys' varsity soccer team after the tragic death of her soccer champion brother. Elisabeth Shue, Dermot Mulroney and Carly Schroeder star; Shue's husband, Davis Guggenheim, directs.

Specialized fare on offer includes "Rise: Blood Hunter," "Day Watch," "Crazy Love," "Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman" and "Ten Canoes."