Weekend Box Office Preview
September 17, 2004

'Wimbledon' looking to serve up laughs, romance

By VARIETY STAFF

COLD KISSES

Except for 'Sweet Home Alabama," September auds have not been swept away by romantic comedies. Universal gives it a whirl with its Kirsten Dunst-starrer, 'Wimbledon.'

TOP SEPTEMBER ROMANTIC COMEDIES

Sweet Home Alabama ('02) 

36

127

Two Can Play That Game ('01)  

8

22

Singles ('92)  

4

18

Educating Rita ('83)  

.1

15

The Pick-Up Artist ('87)  

4

13

*in millions of $

BOWING
Movie Title	Engagements
Sky Captain ... World of Tomorrow (Par)	3,170
Mr. 3000 (BV)	2,736
Wimbledon (U)	2,033
National Lampoon's Gold Diggers (P and A)	899
Silver City (Newmarket)	113
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (Go Fish)	47
Head in the Clouds (Sony Classics) LA, NY	10
Zelary (Sony Classics) NY, LA	6
Cowboys & Angels (TLA) LA, NY	5
Merci Docteur Rey (Regent) NY, LA	2
Crutch (Illuminare) NY	1
A Dirty Shame (Fine Line) Baltimore	1
Goodbye Dragon Inn (Wellspring) NY	1
Particles of Truth (Dada) NY	1

YEAR TO DATE
(in billions of $)
6.3 '03 thru Sept.14	6.6 +5% '04 thru Sept. 12

	1. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 2. Mr. 3000 3. Hero 4. Resident Evil: Apocalypse 5. Cellular	AOL Moviefone derives its Top Five Most Requested films from activity on its Web site. The Top Five have historically been 80% accurate in predicting the weekend's top five movies at the box office.
Visit Moviefone	View opening films

RELEASE DATES AND CHANGES
As of September 16
Pic	New date	Old date
BUENA VISTA
The Hitchhiker's Guide...	May 6	June 3
DREAMWORKS
The Island	July 22
FOCUS FEATURES
Seed of Chucky	Nov. 12	Nov. 10
FOX
In Hetr Shoes	4th qtr. April 8	April 15
MIRAMAX
Underclassmen	Jan. 7	Jan. 14
Hostage	Jan. 21
PARAMOUNT
War of the Worlds	June 29	Summer
TARTAN FILMS
Anatomy of Hell	Sept. 24	Sept. 17
THINKFILM
Assassination of Richard Nixon	Dec. 29
Red indicates new entry

Source: Nielsen EDI Filmsource