New Adam Sandler Comedy Tops US Weekend Box Office Sales
By Ray McDonald
Washington
23 July 2007
It was tight, but in the end Adam Sandler's comedic might prevailed over Harry Potter's magic atop last weekend's U.S. box office tally.
Sandler's new film I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry took in a reported $34.8 million, relegating Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix to second place with $32.2 million.
The victory gives Adam Sandler his ninth number one launch in the United States. Chuck & Larry, however, is attracting charges of plagiarism for allegedly copying Paul Hogan's 2004 Australian comedy Strange Bedfellows.
Both movies follow the same premise of two heterosexual men pretending to be gay couples. Officials at Universal issued a statement saying "Universal Pictures has reviewed the contentions of the producers of 'Strange Bedfellows' and has determined that Universal's film I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry does not infringe the copyright in 'Strange Bedfellows.' In addition to the fact that the films are substantially different, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry was in development at Universal several years before 'Strange Bedfellows' was theatrically released in Australia."
In other box office action, New Line's musical Hairspray, featuring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Queen Latifah, opened in third place with $27.8 million.
The Top 12 Hollywood movies took in $146.7 million over the weekend, up 3.5 percent from 2006.
source:
http://www.voanews.com
