Nach einem furiosen Start in den USA kommt Wolfgang Petersens neuester Blockbuster "Der Sturm" nun auch in die deutschen Kinos. Die offizielle Deutschland-Premiere des Films fand gestern im Cinemaxx Hamburg statt.

AOL-Mitglieder und Besucher des Portals www.aol.de kommen in den besonderen Genuss, einem der wenigen Interviews mit den Stars Wolfgang Petersen und Mark Wahlberg online beiwohnen zu können.

AOL Live!, der Online-TV Sender von AOL Deutschland, erhielt als einziges Online-Medium exklusiv die Möglichkeit, die Stars am Nachmittag vor der Premiere im Hamburger Park Hyatt Hotel zu befragen.

Ab sofort können diese Interviews bei AOL Live! per Video-Stream angeschaut werden (Kennwort: AOLLIVE oder unter www.aollive.de).

Beigefügtes Interview bei Verweis auf www.aollive.de zum frei verfügbaren Abdruck!

Marc, Sie spielen den jungen Fischer Bobby Shedford. Was mögen Sie an Bobby?

Wahlberg: Es gibt vieles, das mich mit Bobby verbindet. Wir sind in der gleichen Gegend aufgewachsen, ich komme auch aus Massachusetts und meine Heimatstadt liegt ungefähr eine halbe Stunde von Gloucester entfernt. Wir sind beide in kleinen Verhältnissen aufgewachsen und waren oft mit vielen Schwierigkeiten und Herausforderungen konfrontiert. Eine vergleichbare Situation.

Haben Sie einmal ein Bild des echten Bobby gesehen? Wie sah er aus?

Wahlberg: Ja, viele. Wir sehen uns recht ähnlich, er ist allerdings einen Kopf größer als ich.

Um sich auf ihre Rolle vorzubereiten, haben Sie in Gloucester gelebt. Wie war der Kontakt zu den Einheimischen?

Wahlberg: Ja, ich bin einen Monat vor Drehbeginn nach Gloucester gezogen, um die Menschen kennen zu lernen. Ich hatte die Möglichkeit auf einigen Fischerbooten mitzufahren. Die Leute sind eine sehr nette und hart arbeitende Gemeinschaft.

Haben Sie jemals darüber nachgedacht, eher ein Fischer zu sein als ein Filmstar?

Wahlberg: Nein, ich bin einige Male auf echten Fischerbooten wie der Andrea Gail mitgefahren. Die Arbeit ist unglaublich schwer und anstrengend. Ich bin für zwei Tage und zwei Nächte auf einem Schiff gewesen, um mich auf den Film vorzubereiten und das Fischen zu lernen. Da musste ich 20 Stunden pro Tag schwer arbeiten. Ich bewundere diese Jungs, sie sind unglaublich.

Die Menschen in Gloucester sind relativ arm. Welche Rolle spielt Geld in Ihrem Leben?

Wahlberg: Im Moment spielt Geld eine eher untergeordnete Rolle in meinem Leben. In meiner Jugend war das anders. Ich bin in Boston, Massachusetts als jüngstes von neun Kindern aufgewachsen. Meine Eltern haben beide in zwei oder drei Jobs gearbeitet, nur um uns Essen auf den Tisch zu stellen. Es gab ähnlich wenige Möglichkeiten wie in Gloucester. Seit ich meine Karriere begonnen habe, konnte ich glücklicherweise ein bisschen verdienen, so dass das für mich heute kein Problem mehr darstellt.

Was ist das Unangenehmste, das Sie jemals für Geld getan haben?

Wahlberg: Etwas unangenehmes fällt mir nicht ein, das schlimmste was ich getan habe, war zu rauben, zu klauen und Drogen zu verkaufen. Das war nicht sehr gut, und ich bin dafür ins Gefängnis gegangen. Also Kinder, nicht nachmachen!

Wie ging es nach Ihrer Entlassung weiter?

Wahlberg: Es hat mein Leben völlig verändert. In derartigen Kleinstädten ohne Perspektiven aufzuwachsen bringt viele Jugendliche auf die schiefe Bahn. Das war die Wende für mich, ich habe mir und meiner Familie an dem Tag geschworen, dass ich an mir arbeite um ein besserer Mensch zu werden und nicht wieder solche Fehler zu begehen.

Und dann sind Sie Unterhosenmodell für Calvin Klein geworden?

Wahlberg: Das ist wirklich ein wenig peinlich. Ja, ich habe als Unterhosenmodell gearbeitet. Das war übrigens etwas Unangenehmes, das ich für Geld getan habe.

Zurück zu "Der Sturm": Welche Erfahrungen konnten Sie persönlich aus dem Film ziehen?

Wahlberg: Eine ganze Reihe. Es war eine gefährliche Arbeit, ich wurde einige Male verletzt. Ich habe eine Menge für mich rausziehen können. Ich habe bei jedem Film etwas über mich und andere lernen können.

Wetten Sie?

Wahlberg: Sobald ich weiß, dass ich gewinnen kann, ja.

Meine Freundin und ich haben gewettet. Sie sagte mir, es gebe ein Gerücht, dass Sie drei Brustwarzen haben. Ich habe es nicht geglaubt. Sie hätten doch nie für Unterwäsche modeln können. Wer hat recht?

Wahlberg: Ihre Freundin.

Sie haben drei Brustwarzen?

Wahlberg: Ja!

Würden Sie mir die zeigen?

Wahlberg: Nein, die dritte ist auch nur sehr klein.

Das ist etwas sehr Besonderes, oder?

Wahlberg: Ja, irgendwie komisch.

Kennen Sie andere, die das auch haben?

Wahlberg: Ich kenne jemanden, der hat fünf. Sie haben dieselbe Größe, die sie in meiner Jugend hatten.

Vielen Dank für das Interview!

To a furiosen start in the USA Wolfgang Petersens of newest Blockbuster "The Perfect Storm" now also into the German cinemas. The official Germany premiere of the film took place yesterday in the Cinemaxx Hamburg.

AOL members and visitors of the portal www.aol.de come into the special benefit of being able to attend one of the few interviews with star the Wolfgang Petersen and Mark Wahlberg on-line.

AOL Live!, the on-line TV sender of AOL Germany, kept the possibility exclusive as only on-line medium of asking star in the afternoon before the premiere in Hamburg park the Hyatt hotel.

Immediately these interviews can with AOL Live! by video Stream to be looked at (password: AOLLIVE or under www.aollive.de).

Attached interview with reference to www.aollive.de to the freely available casting!

Mark, you play young fisherman Bobby Shatford. What do you like at Bobby?

Wahlberg: There is much, which connects me with Bobby. We grew up in the same area, I come also from Massachusetts and my hometown are situated approximately a half hour from Gloucester far away. We grew up both in small conditions and were often confronted with many difficulties and challenges. A comparable situation.

Did you see once a picture of the genuine Bobby? How did it look?

Wahlberg: Yes, many. We see ourselves quite similar, it are however he's about a foot taller than I am..

In order to prepare for their role, you lived in Gloucester. How was the contact to the native ones?

Wahlberg: Yes, I drew one month before turning beginning after Gloucester, in order to learn humans. I had to ride along the possibility on some fischerbooten. The people are a very nice and hard working community.

Has it ever crossed your mind to a fisherman rather than a film star?

Wahlberg: No, I rode along several times on genuine fishingboats like the Andrea Gail. The work is unbelievably hard and arduously. I was for two days and two nights on a ship, in order to prepare me for the film and learn a fishing. There I had to operate 20 hours per day with difficulty. I admire these young, it am unbelievable.

People in Gloucester are relatively poor. Which role plays cash in your life?

Wahlberg: For the moment cash plays a role in my life, rather subordinated. In my youth was that different. I grew up in Boston, Massachusetts as the youngest of nine children. My parents operated both in two or three jobs to only place in order to us meals on the desk. There were similarly few possibilities as in Gloucester. Since I mean career began, I could earn fortunately a little, so that for me today no more problem represents.

What is the wierdest thing, which you ever did for cash?

Wahlberg: Somewhat unpleasant does not occur to me, whom worst which I did, was to rob, steal and sell drugs. That was not very good, and I went for it into the prison. So do not copy children,!

How did it continue after your dismissal?

Wahlberg: It changed my life completely. In such towns without perspectives to grow up many young people bring on the inclined course. That was the turn for me, I and my family on the day swore itself that I operate on me around better humans to become and again such errors not to commit.

And then you became underwear model for Calvin Klein?

Wahlberg: That is really a little embarrassing. Yes, I worked as underwear model. That was by the way something unpleasant, which I had done for cash.

Back to " the storm ": Which experiences could pull you personally from the film?

Wahlberg: A whole series. It was a dangerous work, several times I was hurt. I could rausziehen a quantity for me. I could learn something with each film over me and other one.

Do you gamble ?

Wahlberg: As soon as I know that I can win.

My friend and I bet. She said, it to me gives a rumor that you have three nipples. I did not believe it. They could nevertheless never for underwear modeln. Who is right?

Wahlberg: Your friend.

You have three nipples?

Wahlberg: Yes!

Would you show me those?

Wahlberg: No, third is also only very small.

That is somewhat very special, or?

Wahlberg: Yes, somehow amusingly.

Do you know others, which have also?

Wahlberg: I know someone, that have five. They have the same size, which they had in my youth.

Thank you for the interview! 

Looks like Mark Wahlberg might be spending his boogie nights with his girlfriend, actress Jordana Brewster, for some time to come.

Not only has George Clooney's better half begun boasting that he's "a hopeless romantic" to anyone who'll listen, he recently told the U.K.'s Heat magazine that he's big into monogamy.

"I really have this idea in my head of having children and spending the rest of my life with one woman. Good, old-fashioned romance," whinnied Wahberg.

And now even his mother's getting in on the act. Last week, Alma Wahlberg found herself staving off a gaggle of gals in Provincetown, Mass., eager to get a gander at what lies beneath her son's prosthesis.

"He has a girlfriend," a source tells me Mark's mom stammered shyly.

But Mrs. Wahlberg was apparently a little more brazen upon meeting Mark's buddy Clooney at the premiere of "The Perfect Storm." Marky told her the erstwhile Dr. Ross had a filthy mouth on set, so she marched right up to him and asked, "How the ?%&$*@ are you, George?"

Way to shock 'em, Mommy Mom ... 

After partnering with Bob Zemeckis on a slew of comedies like the ``Back to the Future'' trilogy, Bob Gale struck out to direct films on his own.

Having written what's considered one of the best unmade scripts in Hollywood in ``Jimbo's Stand'' only to find difficulty getting financing, his second script has fared much better. ``Interstate 60,'' with a budget of just $7 million, has Gary Oldman in talks to join James Marsden as star, with ``Road Trip's'' Amy Smart also in talks to join.

And Gale has used his relationships to add even bigger names, if only for small stints. ``Back to the Future'' star Michael J. Fox wants to play a small role as does Kurt Russell, with whom Gale did ``Used Cars.''

They and others will likely materialize in a man's coming of age journey along a road which doesn't appear on any map.

``I always wanted to do a surreal road trip, and was moved to write this after the frustration of 'Jimbo's Stand,''' said Gale, who's making his directing debut on a pic produced by Redeemable Features' Ira Deutchman and Peter Newman, with Canada-based Fireworks providing the bucks and handling foreign sales.

``The movie business used to be about gambling, but now, it's all about people playing not to lose, laying off rights to cover their bets, but not really letting themselves win. I decided all I could do is write a script where actors who care about acting can come in for a short time, and be able to shine in good parts.''

Oldman has been oft-mentioned to play the lead ape in ``The Visitor'' the ``Planet of the Apes'' redo being done by Tim Burton at Fox with Mark Wahlberg starring. That's still a possibility, and it isn't precluded by a possible ``Interstate'' convergence.

"Storm" success: Although the first place finish for Warner Bros.' "The Perfect Storm" at the July Fourth weekend boxoffice, took Hollywood by surprise, it didn't surprise the studio's top marketing and distribution executives. For weeks, they'd been saying with confidence that the PG 13-rated adventure drama, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, had all the ingredients to sail into the top spot on the chart.

"We have $67 million, so you have to figure we'll do $73 million for the week," Warner Bros. Distribution president Dan Fellman said Thursday (7/6) as "Storm" was finishing its first seven days in theaters. "You need a second weekend (to really be able to predict where it's likely to wind up domestically), but the picture has the potential to gross $200 million."

Talking earlier this week to Fellman and Warner Bros. theatrical marketing president Brad Ball, I asked what went into achieving "Storm's" success. Clearly, a wide range of elements on the marketing and distribution combined to create "Storm's" perfect opening, making the most of the film Petersen delivered.

"This was the film that sort of inaugurated the relationship between AOL and the whole marketing of our motion pictures on both AOL and Moviefone," Ball told me. "It represented north of 260 million additional impressions, unique visits that we were able to bring to the ('Storm' Internet) site, bringing people back and forth to our different Web sites, which had been singled out throughout the campaign as the best and most entertaining and creative of the lot. The credit goes to Don Buckley, who's our senior Web site creator and heads up that whole operation out of New York."

Clearly, Warners made the most of marketing "Storm" on the Web. "When we put this deal together, it was to see how many different places along the Web (could be involved) – the multiple sites that AOL brings, not just entertainment sites, but other places (including weather sites). What ended up happening is that it made it pretty inescapable."

Ball points to the film's strength on the Internet and notes that its strength there wasn't displayed in traditional tracking studies, which showed Columbia and Centropolis Entertainment's "The Patriot" with a higher first choice score. "This (big presence on the new marketing front represented by the Web) was, I think, one of the reasons we came on as strong as we did without the tracking having a clue," Ball said. "Tracking, unfortunately, sent all the wrong messages to us until the last and final day. By then, I think, people had made up their mind what they were going to go see and at what sense of urgency.

"But the campaign was remarkably constructed across all the different disciplines here, starting way back in the holiday (season) with a very aggressive trailer that Jim Frederick created that introduced the monster wave. Dan (Fellman) got that up (in theaters playing) our 'Green Mile' and 'Any Given Sunday' so we were out back then. Then we progressively started bringing elements forward with our online activity, our long-lead publicity, which got us multiple, multiple magazine coverage and interviews on behalf of Wolfgang, George Clooney, Diane Lane, Mark Wahlberg and, very importantly, (author) Sebastian Junger, given his prominence and significance in telling the story that became the film."

Ball also pointed to some other high points in the studio's marketing effort for "Storm:" "We had remarkable support from the Coast Guard and the Air Force, who participated in the actual original 'Perfect Storm' rescue (efforts). They brought their 200-foot cutter and two helicopters to our (media) junket in the Gloucester harbor with some 200 members of the press worldwide and demonstrated for them the safety rescue techniques. In the midst of that, we had an emergency storm and they had to go out and perform five rescues on their own as the cameras were rolling.

"We took full advantage of our partnership with HBO (to put together a program in the cable network's series) 'The Making Of...' And (we did) a very dramatic special on the original 'Perfect Storm' on the Discovery Channel that more than exceeded their expectations from a rating standpoint. In fact, it indexed well over 125% of their normal viewing rating. We were able to just harness, I think, the anticipation for the film and present it in a way that made the wave and the storm the star, but also emphasized the authenticity and the historical setting on which it was based."

Fellman pointed to the marketing value of "that great Web broadcast as we moved the Andrea Gail from the West Coast back to Gloucester. As part of the publicity for the movie, we decided to do the junket in Gloucester. When the movie was going to be shot, they went out and tried to find a boat that resembled the Andrea Gail – because, obviously, it's gone. They found that there's a boat called the Lady Grace, which was built side by side at the exact same time (and is) exactly the same boat. It was still in Gloucester and still a swordfish boat. So they bought it from the owner and the crew took the boat. We started filming in Gloucester and they had a couple of hurricanes, so we got some great footage.

"Then they needed the boat out here, so they took the boat through the Panama Canal to Long Beach and the rest of the filming was done out here. Then Brad decided, let's have some fun. Let's get the crew, if they're willing, to bring the boat back through the Canal all the way to Gloucester. What we did was, we established a live Web site on the boat. We put a very talented young filmmaker (on board) who does live Web broadcasts. He got on in Panama and went all the way around through the Canal, through Florida and up along the coast doing press conferences and then reporting live on our Web site every day (as to) where the boat is, what's going on, how it's traveling, all the way to Gloucester. And that got a lot of hits (on the Web), as well."

Another Web-related promotion for the film came, according to Fellman, when "to make it even more fun, Brad worked out a deal where we're selling the boat right now on eBay."

"People bid for two tickets to the premiere and a trip to Los Angeles," Ball explained. "We sold that for $4,000. Then we put the boat on bid for an 8-day period starting June 28. We've had 20 bids and we're up to $125,000. We call that (amount) our 'reserve.' That's the minimum we need to let it go. And we'll make a $25,000 donation to a special Gloucester survivors charity that we've designated."

Warners also made the most of "Storm's" favorable reviews, highlighting in its print ads the names of the major media outlets that liked the film. "We felt it was very important when we put our biggest guns forward in terms of ad sizes and media weight to emphasize the quality of the film," Ball explained. "So by singling out the sources with knock-offs of their mastheads and so on, I think it helped credential the film. It's something we try to do on every film and this one, obviously, achieved good language and support from such a variety of publications that we didn't want anybody to miss the opportunity. You know, there's a big debate about the value of quotes anyhow given that just about anybody can get somebody to say something. At the end of the day, we wanted to focus on the 10 or 12 biggest names. And we even committed and made the decision to put Harry Knowles (from the popular Web site Ain't It Cool News) in our advertising, which for us was somewhat of a first. He certainly has become much more mainstream by virtue of going onto the (Roger) Ebert Show and being invited to special screenings by filmmakers and studios."

It helped, of course, that Warners had a big well-made movie to work with. "The fact that it did represent sort of the action experience film of the summer (made it) smart to make it as accessible to a large audience as possible," Ball noted. "Dan insisted on going on this date (opposite Mel Gibson and 'Patriot') and I think that that will forever prove itself to have been the right call -- as gutsy as it might have seemed to not back off. We were getting all kinds of suggestions that we should, from other studios, as well."

"Let's give credit where it's due," Fellman added. "Wolfgang made a great movie. ILM did an incredible job with the special effects. It was cutting edge. Nobody's ever been able to do special effects on the water. New technology led them to the success of filming the movie. Without that, I don't know how Wolfgang would have proceeded. But he and George and Mark and everybody did such a great job. He is the ultimate filmmaker. He kept the movie down to a reasonable running time -- about 2 hours and 5 minutes. He made sure we had a PG-13 rating with a very delicate subject matter. And we were in the right place at the right time. My team went out and did a great job in securing some fantastic screens and a lot of seats. It all paid off for us in the end. It really was a terrific team effort."

"We never once allowed ourselves to believe we couldn't beat 'The Patriot,'" Ball observed. "Across all the different disciplines including terrific cooperation and interaction with our international marketing team as well, where we were able to use materials that they created to fortify the campaign, all of that just demonstrates that if you fight hard enough you don't have to let the self-fulfilling prophecy take over."

Asked about the importance of the PG-13 rating, Fellman replied, "The Fourth of July has been a traditional family (moviegoing) weekend. The big movies that have broken through at the boxoffice have been, in most cases, PG-13. We felt, as Wolfgang did, that it was important to make sure that we fell into that category and he did everything possible to make sure that happened. It could have been (an R rated film because of) intensity or language. He could have exploited it in many different ways. But he took the subject matter very delicately and actually even had a spiritually uplifting ending even though it, obviously, ended in disaster. The people in Gloucester came out in droves to see this film. One of the largest grosses we had in the country -- the No. 2 gross in America -- was the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, Mass., which is owned by Loews. It grossed about $135,000 for the five days. It's only 30 minutes from Gloucester."

Focusing on the film's running time, Fellman told me: "When Wolfgang first had an assemblage it was about two and a half hours or longer. He knew what he wanted to do. He saw the final image in his mind and he worked on it and with the help of research screenings and his own gut he just kept working trying to make the tightest, best and most commercial film that he could (while being true) to the story. And he did it."

While it's true that with so many theaters today, a long movie can have additional showings, that doesn't necessarily mean it will be able to attract as many moviegoers as it could with a two hour running time providing a quicker turn-around between performances. "You can always have more prime time shows, but you can't have as many shows," Fellman said. "If you're in two screens (with a three hour film) and you have a two hour movie (here's an example). If you're in one screen and your first show goes on at seven, your next show doesn't go on at 10 o'clock because it takes 45 minutes to clean the theater and play your trailers at each end. So you go on at 7:00 and 10:45. And, of course, you get out in the middle of the night. People don't like to go to that 10:45 show.

"If you start it at 6 o'clock, you go on at 9:45. 9:45 is too late. 6 o'clock is too early. So, in essence, when you have multiple screens you can start one at 7:00 and one at 7:30 or one at 6:00 and one at 7:00. And then you can get a very late show at 10:45 and a sort of late show at 9:45. (If) a movie is appealing primarily to adults, it's too late a show in either case. So it's difficult. But, look, I've been down that road. I've had my share of three hour movies and some of them have been extremely successful. (Paramount and 20th Century Fox's) 'Titanic' was a long movie and it was the best (grossing film ever). Three hour movies are like any other movies. Good movies, movies that the public wants to see, rise to the occasion."

 WHO:       "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" stars Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller, John Ales and Jamal Mixon will join producer Brian Grazer, director Peter Segal, screenwriters Barry W. Blaustein, James D. Sheffield, Paul Weitz, Chris Weitz and executive producers Karen Kehela, Tom Shadyac and James D. Brubaker.

Other celebrity guests include: Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Mark Wahlberg, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Garcelle Beauvais, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Clarke Duncan, Lisa Nicole Carson, Jamie Foxx, Magic Johnson, Debbie Allen, Eriq LaSalle, Robert Townsend, Holly Robinson Peete, Forest Whitaker, Tommy Davidson, Morris Chestnut, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Kel Mitchell, Kenan Thompson and Blair Underwood, as well as many others.

WHERE:     Universal Amphitheater atop the hill in Universal City

WHEN:      Monday, July 24
               Celebrity arrivals:  6:30 p.m.
               Screening begins:    7:30 p.m.

Diane Lane didn't know what to expect from her co-star Mark Wahlberg the first day she arrived on the set of The Perfect Storm.

Lane and Wahlberg play lovers in this fact-based story of the worst storm to hit the New England coast in more than 100 years.

"Mark has this tough-boy rapper image, but most of the characters he's played in movies show such a sweet side," says Lane.

"Mark is both of these things, as I learned. He's a true Gemini. I was a bit concerned about which Mark I'd have as a co-star. He couldn't have been sweeter, kinder or more considerate."

Lane and Wahlberg filmed a torrid love scene for The Perfect Storm, the aftermath of which has him nursing a black eye.

The scene didn't make the final cut of the film, Lane says. "(Director) Wolfgang Petersen didn't think the sex scene was essential. I have the satisfaction of having done it, but not the embarrassment of having it preserved for posterity.

"When they're plotting their films, directors inevitably feel that torrid sex scenes are essential. That's because they don't have to do them." 

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Gloucester Fund, an umbrella organization that supports grassroots community programs. Additionally, Legal Sea Foods has announced that it is earmarking funds for the families of the Andrea Gail fishermen who lost their lives at sea. Legal Sea Foods purchased the Lady Grace to honor those in the fishing industry and to educate others about the dangers of the trade and the sacrifices made by those in the industry to support their families.

``We are tremendously pleased that the Lady Grace has found a home in the Massachusetts area with Legal Sea Foods,'' Ball said. ``Their commitment to keeping alive the memory of those depicted in `The Perfect Storm' and others lost at sea by keeping the Lady Grace as a living memorial is the ideal role for this vessel, which served us so well on the film. We are equally pleased that this transaction will benefit both the Gloucester Fund and, thanks to Legal Sea Foods, the families of the Andrea Gail fishermen.''

The Lady Grace is currently in Hamburg, Germany, for the July 18 European premiere of ``The Perfect Storm.'' When the vessel returns home to Gloucester in the late summer, it will tour select cities from New England to Florida to raise funds for various fishing-industry charities. The Lady Grace will reside in Gloucester, Mass.

``The Perfect Storm'' tells of the courageous men and women who risk their lives every working day, pitting their fishing boats and rescue vessels against the capricious forces of nature. Their worst fears are realized at sea one fateful autumn, when they are confronted by three raging weather fronts which collide to produce the greatest, fiercest and most destructive storm in modern history.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Baltimore Spring Creek Pictures production in association with Radiant Productions, a Wolfgang Petersen film starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, ``The Perfect Storm.'' The film also stars Diane Lane, William Fichtner, Karen Allen, Allen Payne, Bob Gunton, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and John C. Reilly. Music is by James Horner. The film is edited by Richard Francis-Bruce, A.C.E. William Sandell is the production designer. John Seale, ACS, ASC, is the director of photography. The executive producers are Barry Levinson and Duncan Henderson. Based on the book by Sebastian Junger, the screenplay is by Bill Wittliff. Paula Weinstein, Wolfgang Petersen and Gail Katz produced ``The Perfect Storm,'' which is directed by Wolfgang Petersen. www.perfectstorm.com

 Marky-mark my words, that utterance will no doubt be coming from Suite 1507 at Gotham's swank W Court Hotel come this fall, when none other than George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg will be checking in--together.

At least, that's what the hotel registry says, according to those who have access to it. (Officially, the ritzy joint wouldn't comment.)

Flacks for the two hunks wisely would not detail their clients' traveling plans this September--when the somewhat open-ended reservation begins. (For now, the booking runs through December.) But sources at the W (at Lex and 39th) have confirmed the turn-down dates.

Mercy! My pillowcases are palpitating already!

Now, let me tell you a little about the room. It's known as the Presidential Suite, it has two bedrooms and a terrace and it costs $20,000 a week. Hmmm. Whaddya say the boys get more than their share of chocolates during their extended stay? (More than their apportionment of tasty trouble is more like it.)

And what interesting dates, too. George will be in preproduction for Ocean's Eleven, which he's not only coproducing but starring in with his posh roommate.

For a guy (Clooney) who seems to be getting tired of all the hanky-panky hoopla their friendship is causing in the tabs, I'd say this is one hell of an unusual way to calm the storm...perfect as it is (at least to me).

Just one word of advice, boys: Tip very well, unless you want your dirty laundry sent to the Internet instead of the dry cleaners.

LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- Newcomer Estella Warren is in final negotiations to join Mark Wahlberg in director Tim Burton's "Planet of the Apes" remake for 20th Century Fox.

Details on the project are being keeping under wraps, but the story is different from the original in that Wahlberg is a pilot instead of an astronaut. It's believed that she will play Wahlberg's love interest, but the studio would not confirm that.

The project, being scripted by William Broyles Jr., is expected to begin shooting in the fall for a projected July 4 release.

Warren, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and former nationally ranked Canadian synchronized swimmer, has only been acting for several months, having landed roles in Michael Rymer's indie feature "Perfume" and Tapestry Films' indie feature "Tangled" (a k a "Conspiracy of Weeds") opposite Rachael Leigh Cook.

Warren went before the cameras this week for Warner Bros./Franchise Pictures' "Champs" for director Renny Harlin. The film, shooting in Toronto, stars Sylvester Stallone and Til Schweiger.

Richard Zanuck is producing "Apes," and five-time Oscar winner Rick Baker is providing special effects makeup. Fox president of production Hutch Parker is overseeing the project.

Warren is repped by Endeavor and Untitled Entertainment's Jason Weinberg.

After an opening weekend draw of $41.5 million, the largest three-day July box office in Warner Bros. Pictures history, outstanding reviews along with positive word-of-mouth helped sustain the film's momentum throughout the week and into a strong second weekend, bringing its 10-day box office gross to $100,195,906.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Baltimore Spring Creek Pictures production in association with Radiant Productions, a Wolfgang Petersen Film starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, ``The Perfect Storm.'' The film also stars Diane Lane, William Fichtner, Karen Allen, Allen Payne, Bob Gunton, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and John C. Reilly. Music is by James Horner. The film is edited by Richard Francis-Bruce, A.C.E. William Sandell is the Production Designer. John Seale, ACS, ASC, is the Director of Photography. The Executive Producers are Barry Levinson and Duncan Henderson. Based on the book by Sebastian Junger, the screenplay is by Bill Wittliff. Paula Weinstein, Wolfgang Petersen and Gail Katz produced ``The Perfect Storm,'' which is directed by Wolfgang Petersen. The Web site is at www.perfectstorm.com.

Mark Wahlberg said he was so sick on the set of The Perfect Storm that he turned green. Apparently Mark decided that green is his color: he says he's now starring with Jet Li in the Green Hornet flick. This may be the first comic-book-type flick where the stars are more well-known than the title character. The Green Who?
According to IGN FilmForce, Wahlberg was heard spewing on a Chicago radio show that he would be starring in the new Hornet pic -- the same one that Mark's Three Kings/Perfect Storm pal George Clooney was forever rumored to be in, until he recently dropped out. Seeing as how George and Mark are best buds, they probably flip coins over which movies they'll star in. Looks like Marky Mark won this toss.

So now Wahlberg is teaming with Jet (playing Kato, the Hornet's high-kicking chauffeur/crimefighting sidekick) to take a bite out of crime. We hope the new Hornet makes up for the bad of the old and ramps up Jet into a compatriot, not just a sidekick. Surely the Fist of Legend could wipe out the Big Hit without breaking a sweat. Hey Mark, your brother Donnie just called. He wants to know if you can get him a gig on your new flick. Maybe something on screen, not a catering assistant like last time?

Warner Bros. set off massive fireworks during the extra long Independence Day weekend with the estimated $64 million opening of its disaster-at-sea action film The Perfect Storm over the Friday-to-Tuesday period. Sony's Revolutionary War epic The Patriot debuted in second with an estimated $35.2 million over the same period. With their pair of big-budget event films, George Clooney and Mel Gibson attracted nearly $100 million in ticket sales over the five-day holiday weekend finally allowing the overall box office to outperform the same period a year ago after many weeks of slower activity.

Opening in 3,407 theaters, The Perfect Storm averaged a whopping $18,789 per theater over five days. For the normal Friday-to-Sunday span, the film secured a potent $41.5 million ($12,194 average) and marked the biggest opening for Clooney outside of 1997's franchise picture Batman and Robin. Adapted from the bestselling true-life tale, The Perfect Storm follows a group of New England fishermen who get caught in the most ferocious storm ever recorded at sea.

With a reported budget of $120 to $140 million, the Wolfgang Petersen-directed film benefited from an enormous prints and advertising budget. Warner Bros. gave the effects-heavy picture the third widest opening release in history, trailing only this year's Mission: Impossible 2 and Scream 3 which opened in 3,653 and 3,467 theaters respectively. For the studio, The Perfect Storm delivered the biggest opening ever for a non-Batman film and was in the same vicinity as Twister which opened with $41.1 million while playing in a thousand fewer theaters.

According to Warner Bros. distribution chief Dan Fellman, Storm witnessed daily grosses of $13,075,000 on Friday, $14,615,000 on Saturday (up 12 percent), $13,855,000 on Sunday (down 5 percent), $12,470,000 on Monday (down 10 percent) and an estimated $10,000,000 on Tuesday, July 4 (off 20 percent).

For the first time in over five years, Gibson failed to reach No. 1 with his new movie as The Patriot opened in the runnerup spot with an estimated $35.2 million over the long Friday-to-Tuesday period. The Revolutionary War drama was released in 3,061 theaters and averaged $11,500 for the five days. The film's total since opening June 28 is $44.5 million. During the traditional Friday-to-Sunday span, The Patriot grossed $22.4 million for a $7,318 average.

Directed by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Godzilla) The Patriot runs for nearly three hours and earned an R rating for intensely violent battle scenes. In 1995, Gibson's Braveheart opened to $12.9 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend and eventually reached $75.6 million during its domestic release en route to a Best Picture Oscar win.

According to Jeff Blake, distribution chief for Sony Pictures, two-thirds of the audience was over 25, while the male-female split was roughly even. Blake did note that The Patriot's CinemaScore rating was a solid A+, which he expects will translate into good word-of-mouth in the weeks ahead. The adult-skewing drama will also face few direct competitors as most upcoming films like Scary Movie, The Kid and X-Men will target younger patrons. For the seven-day span, daily grosses for The Patriot included $5,015,000 on Wednesday, $4,307,000 on Thursday (off 14 percent), $6,450,000 on Friday (up 50 percent), $8,050,000 on Saturday (up 25 percent), $7,900,000 on Sunday (off 2 percent), $6,900,000 on Monday (down 13 percent), and an estimated $5,900,000 on Tuesday, July 4 (down 15 percent).

Going into the long holiday weekend, tracking research indicated that consumer interest was very close for both The Perfect Storm and The Patriot. Industry observers were then surprised at the fact that the Clooney picture opened 82 percent stronger than the Gibson vehicle, which many predicted would rule the holiday because of its bigger star. The wide gap between the grosses puts into question the validity of pre-release tracking surveys and how accurately audience sentiment can really be measured before a movie opens.

The top 10 films over the weekend grossed $121.9 million over the three-day period which was up 6 percent from last year when Wild Wild West opened in the top spot with $27.7 million, and up 24 percent from 1998 when Armageddon came in at No. 1 with $36.1 million.

Enjoying the best hold in the top 10, the clay animation feature Chicken Run claimed the No. 3 spot with an estimated five-day take of $21 million in its second week. DreamWorks added 360 additional screens just in time for the busy holiday period, which helped keep the G-rated film's depreciation (comparing three-day sessions) at a low 25 percent. With $49.4 million in 12 days, Chicken Run could find its way to $90 million or more.

Jim Carrey's latest comedy Me, Myself & Irene fell sharply in its second weekend, taking in an estimated $19.5 million over the five-day period. The comedy dropped 47 percent from its opening when comparing three-day spans. After 12 days, the $52 million Fox release has taken in $55.4 million and may conclude with $75-85 million domestically.

Universal's new family film, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, opened softly in fifth place with an estimated $11 million over the Friday-to-Tuesday span. Opening in 2,458 sites, the $76 million live-action/animation feature averaged a disappointing $4,495 per theater. The film's Friday-to-Sunday gross was $6.9 million for a $2,815 average. Critics panned the update of the 1960s cartoon series. Rocky and Bullwinkle is just the latest in a string of films aimed at kids that has underperformed, joining the recent Flintstones prequel, Titan A.E. and the national run of Fantasia 2000.

Five-day estimates for the rest of the top 10 included $9.7 million for Paramount's Shaft ($56.5 million total), $8.6 million for Fox's Big Momma's House ($97.9 million), $7.8 million for Buena Vista's Gone in 60 Seconds ($81.4 million), $7.7 million for M:I2 ($199.9 million) and $3.7 million for DreamWorks/Universal's Gladiator ($171 million).

Fourth films: Now that we know how the July Fourth weekend turned out, it's clear that no matter what tracking studies predict or conventional wisdom suggests will happen, the public casts the only deciding votes at the boxoffice.

Going into the weekend, the 26% overall first choice tracking score for Columbia and Centropolis Entertainment's "The Patriot," directed by Roland Emmerich, looked way better than the 21% first choice for Warner Bros.' "The Perfect Storm," directed by Wolfgang Petersen. And figuring much greater star power for Mel Gibson versus George Clooney, it's understandable that Hollywood handicappers figured "Patriot" would storm into first place.

Of course, moviegoers wound up responding vigorously to Warners' marketing campaign for "Perfect" and voted to ratify it rather than "Patriot" as the weekend's number one film. In conversations over the weekend with many leading distribution and marketing executives, they attributed "Storm's" success to a combination of elements – its PG-13 rating, its conventional running time of about 2 hours 5 minutes, Warners' strong marketing campaign and perfect distribution timing. All of that combined well with Clooney's star power, state of the art special effects and Petersen's skill as a filmmaker and storyteller to create unexpected "Storm" clouds that dominated the weekend boxoffice skies.

In conversations we'd had over the past few weeks, Warner Bros. Distribution president Dan Fellman had expressed strong confidence that "Storm" would sail into the top spot on the July Fourth weekend chart. He was, understandably, in the best of spirits this weekend when he was proven right. "Our five-day number is $64.015 million. The official three-day number was $41.545 million," he told me Tuesday morning. "Certainly, the studio is thrilled with the boxoffice. Everyone expected it to be a lot closer race. To take the competition by $30 million in five days was a real surprise and thrill for us. The picture corralled about 33% of the record-breaking (July Fourth weekend) boxoffice.

"The biggest grossing seven-day Fourth of July (holiday period) was $222 million last year. We'll probably end up as an industry with about $235 million for the week. So it's a nice jump. I think this gives the industry a little jump start into the summer. The last few weeks were down. I think this is a good way to get things back on track."

Looking back to 1995 when July Fourth also fell on a Tuesday, Fellman said, "'Apollo 13' (Universal) was the big winner and their five day number was $38 million. $38 million to $64 million (for 'Storm') is quite a jump. My hat's off to Brad Ball (Warners' theatrical marketing president) for managing a great campaign and (creative advertising executive) Jim Frederick for creating it. And, of course, I salute Wolfgang Petersen, who did such an outstanding job, and ILM who created the mind-boggling special effects. This is the first time they've ever been able to create effects on water like this. There's new technology that enabled them to do so. Most people think of special effects as 'Star Wars' type effects. Colliding moons and bombs and explosions. But this is reality. This was really an interesting thing. I think that's why the exits are so strong. We anticipate great word of mouth because our exit polls have been great."

"The Patriot" -- $35.2 million for five days

While it's easy to explain "Storm's" success, it's harder to analyze "Patriot's" performance. Most of the weekend media coverage positioned it as a win-lose situation where two films opened and one grossed about twice what the other did over the weekend. That's true, but doesn't really tell the whole story. With its R rating and running time of about 2 hours 45 minutes, "Patriot's" appeal is principally to adult moviegoers who take longer to get around to seeing the movies that interest them. Films that run close to three hours tend to have strong Sundays because people have the time to see them then. Between getting to and from the theater, seeing the movie and having dinner afterwards, a three-hour film can turn into six or seven hours of time.

An indication that "Patriot" is playing this way came when it had a stronger Sunday than Sony Pictures Releasing had anticipated in its Sunday morning estimates. The studio's estimate Sunday morning was that "Patriot" would do $21.7 million for the three day weekend. On Monday, Sony was able to move its weekend number up to $22.4 million, reflecting better than anticipated Sunday ticket sales.

"We were down 2% on Sunday, which I think speaks to the playability of the picture," Sony Pictures Releasing president Jeff Blake told me Tuesday morning. "An up 25% Saturday and a down 2% Sunday is a really good representation of how well the picture is playing. Monday, we added another $7 million and we're anticipating a five day total of $35.2 million, an $11,500 average. That would give us a first week total of $44.5 million. That's an interesting number. That's pretty rarified air up there. You have, for instance, 'Apollo 13' opening under just about the same circumstances for Fourth of July 1995 when the holiday was on Tuesday. Its first seven days were $46 million. A very good playing adult film that went on and did $172 million.

"I have to say that with this kind of total for the first week and what we see to be really rousing responses that are borne out by the way the numbers are coming in and our exit polls, we really expect big things. I think at the end we'll have a very exciting story to tell. The only difference between 'Apollo 13' and us is they were number one and, of course, recognized (as a hit) right away with the same numbers. Being number two, I guess, you have to prove it a little more. But I think we'll do that starting next weekend."

Between "Storm" and "Patriot" alone the five day weekend saw nearly $100 million in ticket sales, the first time the top two movies have ever grossed that much money, according to distribution executives. For two films to open head to head and for both to be accepted as successes in the marketplace is unusual. "It's really a destructive part of the business," Blake said of the tendency to think of only a weekend's top grossing film as a hit. "We all like to be number one, but more than that we like to end up successfully on the picture. And I think a $44.5 million first week is a good sign that that's how we're going to end up. To me, 'Apollo 13' really is a case in point where it's the same numbers, the same playability and clearly gets to a big total – but the only difference being that they didn't have a film in the market doing even better. Hopefully, we'll narrow the gap a bit next week, but at the end of the day, if we do 'Apollo 13's' $172 million and 'Perfect Storm' does over $200 million, I couldn't be happier for them. I think that would work for us both."

Blake pointed out that "Patriot" looks good compared to other successful R rated movies. "'The Matrix' (from Warners was a) Wednesday opening. First week -- $44.6 million. And a total of $171 million. Lots of pictures have gotten there from here."

Dean Devlin, who produced "Patriot" with Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn, pointed out Tuesday morning, "When we spoke (early Sunday) we were predicting a 13% drop on Sunday and we ended up with only a 2% drop. All the signs now are coming out that we definitely have those kind of legs. The word of mouth is spreading. The most encouraging thing out of this is that we have 93% of the people who saw it recommending the picture (definitely or probably) and 52% said that they would pay to see the movie again. Of the people under 25, 60% said they would pay to pay the film a second time. That just stunned me. I've never seen that before. It definitely suggests that there should be good word of mouth."

What was "Patriot's" audience composition? "I think this had to do with word of mouth," Devlin explained. "On Wednesday and Thursday we had more men than women, but over the weekend we started to get more women than men. I think that had to do with the fact that people were saying it was such an emotional film, that the story makes them cry. I think we slowly started to overcome some of the press that harped on the violence. As people saw the film, they felt the violence was not going to preclude them from enjoying the movie and they started to tell other people that."

"Chicken Run" -- $21 million for five days

The weekend's other big success story was DreamWorks' "Chicken Run," which fell only 25% in its second weekend, placing third with a well-feathered $13.2 million for three days and an estimated $21 million for five days.

"It performed better (than we estimated) on Sunday," DreamWorks distribution head Jim Tharp told me Tuesday morning. "We'd given it $12.8 million. It came in at $13.2 million. Monday actually went up from Sunday. It was the only movie that went up from Sunday – from $4.6 million to $4.7 million. We're estimating $21 million for the five days and that will give us a cume of $49.4 million."

Considering "Chicken's" high profile competition this weekend, Tharp noted, "I think we weathered the storm pretty well. 'Perfect Storm' absolutely sucked business out of everything. It did so much business. We are very, very happy with the weekend hold, but I think maybe even more importantly it was the increase on Monday from Sunday (that's the best news)."

"Patriot" exit polls very encouraging

Word of mouth is an important factor in determining where a film like "Patriot" goes. Sony said its exit poll scores were a very encouraging 88% in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good) with 75% of those on hand saying they'd definitely recommend the film. Word of mouth travels much faster today than ever before thanks to the internet, continuous media coverage and megaplex theaters that seat so many people that a film's opening day audience base can be much bigger than in the past. For "Patriot" to have done so well Sunday, word of mouth must be good.

What's easily misunderstood in situations where two high profile films open head to head and one looks much stronger than the other is that they can wind up playing entirely differently, but both can still enjoy big grosses. "Storm" is clearly off to a flying start. It's the summer blockbuster that everybody wants to see right-now-this-minute. "Patriot," on the other hand, is on a slower track and appears to have the potential to play over a long period of time and wind up with an impressive cume.

"Basically, what we've got here is a start that was a bit more adult than anticipated (and) a little less reliant on the younger action crowd," Sony's Blake had told me early Sunday morning in our first of several holiday weekend conversations. "We think we can get them eventually. But that does put you in a different place. The disadvantage of it is, perhaps, it doesn't open at quite the same frenzied level when your (audience is) a little older as opposed to younger. By older, I mean 20s rather than teens. But there are some advantages, too. I think we got the first of it on Saturday when we were up 25%, which is a very strong expansion (from Friday) for an R rated film. I think we'll continue to get advantages today (Sunday) and through the rest of the weekend – and, particularly, in holding throughout the month, starting with next weekend where the competition is 'Scary Movie' and '(Disney's) The Kid.'

"If we truly are what we think we are -- which is the adult choice this summer – I think we could end up in the same place we always hoped to be, just in a slightly different way. You look at films like our own 'My Best Friend's Wedding,' opening to $21.7 million and going on and doing $127 million because, again, it was a movie with great exit polls that people loved. You look at more adult films like 'The Firm' (which) opened to $24.9 million and went on and did $158 million. 'Apollo 13' opened to $25 million and did $172 million. And I should note that 'My Best Friend's Wedding' also started out number two against a $42 million opening – 'Batman & Robin.' Certainly, the emphasis (in the media) was the competition with 'Perfect Storm' this weekend, but it's a very short term thing, which I think we've all tried to say all along and now we're both on different roads."

Blake made a point of adding, "To be honest with you, I'm happy for Wolfgang. He delivered three of the best films Columbia has ever released in 'Air Force One,' 'In the Line of Fire' and the U.S. release of 'Das Boot.' I think everybody (at the studio) was always uncomfortable with the competitive aspect of it. They won the three day competition and now we both need to do what we want to do to go on and get the totals we deserve."

Asked if he felt the R rating hurt "Patriot," Blake replied, "I think it just made it a little more adult. I think it was more of an indicator of the content of the picture as opposed to a poison pill of any kind. I think people who have seen the picture feel the violence in it is appropriate to the story being told. Obviously, given our great exit polls, people are feeling it's very impactful. So it's hard to separate it from the film because it truly is an R rated film and that, inevitably, makes it a little more adult. I have the feeling as word spreads the older teens are going to become interested eventually, too. But it probably did put us on a bit more of an adult path than what a big Revolutionary War (movie) could have been. But that wasn't the film we made. If that hurt us in the short run, it's certainly going to help us in the long run."

In a conversation Sunday morning Devlin told me, "The big question for all of us was, 'Can two films survive the weekend?' And, I think, the big relief is, obviously, we can. Not only did we have two films do more than $20 million this weekend, but we have four movies that made more than $10 million. That was really good news. For us, personally, the expansion of 25% from Friday to Saturday and CinemaScores of A+ for an R rated movie at 2 hours 45 minutes, where we have a screening less a day, it's a real encouraging sign that we're going to be there for the distance.

"For Mark and I and for Roland, our whole thing has been that we're not a traditional summer movie. If we weren't about the American Revolution, I think we would have opened at another time of year. But to go up against a movie that's really got big special effects and big adventure action, and to survive, for us this is a huge victory."

Mark Gordon, another of "Patriot's" producers, added Sunday morning, "This is not a movie where we said, 'Oh, my God, we're going to make a billion dollars opening weekend.' These movies just don't do that. Even though it was a PG-13, 'Apollo 13' did $25 million its first weekend. 'Saving Private Ryan' did $30 million. 'My Best Friend's Wedding' did (about) $21.5 million. 'The Firm' opened to $20-25 million and did $160 million. So there are all these pictures (over the years) that need to find their audience. Many of them are R rated. It's just harder with that rating and the fact that we are not a special effects driven movie where our audience runs to the theaters the first weekend.

"We believe we are going to be there for the long haul. We were up 25% from Friday to Saturday, which is great. It's great to win the weekend. It's always wonderful to win the battle. (But) we've always said we're not in competition with anybody. I think it's sad that in our business now, it's all about who wins the weekend. Let's be looking where we are in a month and not be looking at 'Perfect Storm' or 'Patriot' as compared to each other. Both of these pictures can make money. We think we have a terrific picture. The exit polls are great. The CinemaScore is A+. This movie will have long legs, we believe. We're not crying in our beer by any means."

"I've been saying for a while that for me the big thing was could we be plus-$10 million and how far plus-$10 million could we be, because that to me would be the indicator that we have an audience," Devlin added. "Then it's really all about word of mouth because, let's face it, it's not PG-13, it's not the super-fun action movie. It's a very serious movie and it's a period film. To get this kind of audience up against a blockbuster is very encouraging. But what's more encouraging is that people are responding in the theaters. I got a call (Saturday) that in one theater in Hermosa Beach apparently there was a standing ovation at the end of the movie. I've never even heard of such a thing. So, hopefully, the word of mouth spreads and we continue to build."

Would Devlin go for an R rating again if they were doing it all over? "I don't think we made this movie to make a blockbuster," he told me. "If Roland and I had really wanted to make the big blockbuster, we probably would have done a sequel to 'Independence Day' or more commercial fare than a movie about the American Revolution with a very serious script from Robert Rodat (who wrote the screenplay for 'Saving Private Ryan'). I'm just happy that a movie that's this serious and this adult can perform this well. There's also some history to this. If we go back to 'Apollo 13,' which opened (in 1995) on the same weekend without a giant movie opening up against it, that movie opened to around $25 million and it made $172 million, at the end of the day. So I think there's a precedent for where we're at and what we're doing. But it's all about, 'Are people walking out the theaters liking it?' And, so far, it seems that that's what's happening. The exit polls are huge. They're matching our test scores. And the CinemaScore was an A+, which is about as high as you can go.

"It's definitely an adult audience, which is also interesting because the young audience is the early attenders. They tend to come out that first weekend. So to get these kind of (exit poll) numbers out of adults is a very encouraging sign for us."

I also asked Gordon about the R rating and whether he felt it hurt, to which he replied, "The fact of the matter is this is a movie that's set against the backdrop of a war. And I believe particularly after 'Saving Private Ryan,' you can't (tone that violence) down. This picture is not particularly violent. It's just to some extent realistic. We focused this movie on the family (headed by Gibson's character). There are some battle scenes and in those battle scenes there's some brutality. But the fact of the matter is, I wouldn't do anything any different. I believe that in spite of the rating that we have, we're going to continue to do business.

"You sit and you say, 'Well, do we take a picture that we know works for the audience and for us and do we sort of tear it apart to get a PG-13 or do we make the best picture we can and let that stand on its own?' And that's what we decided to do and I think everybody feels good about that."

Devlin observed, reflecting on how the holiday weekend marketplace expanded to accommodate two $20 million-plus openings followed by two $10 million-plus grosses for holdovers in their second weekend (DreamWorks' hit 'Chicken Run,' which fell only about 27%, and 20th Century Fox's 'Me, Myself & Irene,' which tumbled about 48%), "It's very surprising and it's a great sign. And it also says, now we can open more than one film on a big weekend. The marketplace will hold it.

"My prediction is, we're going to talk again in August and we're going to look back and we're going to say, 'Wow. 'Perfect Storm' made all this money and 'Patriot' made all this money. And it's kind of amazing – we didn't kill each other. We like (in Hollywood) to make a big point about the competition because it's a good story, but I honestly feel films don't compete. I just have never felt that way. One of the first conversations you and I ever had was about (Emmerich and Devlin's) 'Stargate.' 'Star Trek' was opening within a couple weeks of us and everyone was saying, 'Are we going to kill each other?' Well, we had the biggest October opening in history and they had the biggest 'Star Trek' opening ever. I think the reality is, it's about how good the films are. If people walked out of a film and they enjoyed it and feel they got their money's worth, then they tend to want to go see a movie again. I think it's only dangerous when one of the movie's is really bad because then you run the risk of people being turned off to the moviegoing experience. I think both (of these) films are finding their audience."

Distributors optimistic about remaining summer weeks

Devlin's optimism is shared by other studio executives with films going into release in the coming weeks. Although Universal didn't fare well over July Fourth weekend with its opening of "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle," it has very high hopes for its and Imagine Entertainment's Eddie Murphy comedy sequel "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps," opening July 28.

"It will be as wide as we can get," Universal distribution president Nikki Rocco told me. "You don't know what that is until you get into the marketplace and see what's holding and what isn't. But it will be very, very wide – well over 2,500 playdates."

Asked what her feeling is about its prospects, Rocco replied, "It's not my feeling. All the audiences that have seen the film – and, particularly, the press – are picking up on the fact that it's Eddie Murphy doing a lot more of what he did (in the first 'Nutty') playing all of these different roles and having the wherewithal to pull them all off and (make them) look like separate characters. You think you're looking at six or seven different people and it's all Eddie Murphy. You forget that he's in each of these roles. The only role that he (looks anything like) Eddie Murphy is the Buddy Love role. You forget that he's (the huge) Sherman Klump. And the uniqueness of the film is that you see all of these characters together. It's unbelievable."

Rocco sees July Fourth weekend as a clear sign that moviegoing continues to be a very popular pastime in the U.S. "The top four movies are close to $100 million (in ticket sales between them," she noted. "That's not bad at all. It's obvious that this weekend people went to see all (four) of these films. There's something for everybody here. It'll continue next week because it will really draw the teenagers in. If they weren't drawn in by 'Perfect Storm,' they'll be drawn in next week by (Dimension Films' opening of its R rated horror film spoof) 'Scary Movie.' There's no doubt about that. (And there's also) another family movie hitting the marketplace in 'Disney's The Kid.'"

Buena Vista/Disney was very pleased with its sneak previews Sunday of the PG rated comedy drama directed by Jon Turteltaub and starring Bruce Willis. The studio said its 800 sneaks played to 70%-plus capacity, drawing a 90% score in the Top Two Boxes (excellent and very good). Of those on hand, females were 53% of the audience, 48% were under-25 and 69% were families. "Kid" opens Friday (7) at about 2,200 theaters.

"I think it's healthy," DreamWorks' Tharp said of the industry in general. "We have a tendency to only compare it to last year. If you look at the month of June last year, it was extremely strong. If you look on a three-year average, which is probably a little better way of looking at it, then this June was really good. July is going to be stronger than last year. We show the five day (July Fourth period) being up 20% (versus 1999). If you look at it in the short period of time month by month, you could be way up or way down. I've seen several negative articles lately, but I just think it's difficult when you look at one month as being down to say that there's problems. On an annual basis, I think we're still in great shape. It should be a great fall and a really good holiday season."

Sizing things up candidly, one distribution executive who asked not to be named sees a number of upcoming potential hits: "You've got two new movies ('Scary Movie' and 'Kid') opening this week. I can tell you, 'Scary Movie,' no matter what the critics say, will do a lot of business with the kids and I think 'X-Men' (Fox) will on July 14. Based on the initial tracking, I think both 'What Lies Beneath' (DreamWorks) and 'Pokemon' (Warners) get open on July 21. I think both (of those) movies are going to do very well. And then July 28 is 'The Klumps' (Universal). You already know (from tracking reports) that 'The Klumps' are going to get open. So July should substantially outgross last year. August is still a question. I think August can't keep up with last year because you had those holdovers of the movies that opened in July like 'Sixth Sense' and 'Blair Witch.' It's going to be very difficult to keep up with last August."

Focusing on the summer in general, Sony's Blake told me, "Everyone said going into this weekend, these two pictures needed to revitalize the market and sort of save the summer. I'd say $100 million between them has done a pretty job of that."

Warner Bros.' "The Perfect Storm" pushed aside Sony's "The Patriot" and rode the crest of a huge boxoffice wave as the George Clooney starrer landed in the top spot with a staggering $64 million estimate during the five-day Fourth of July period. The five-day estimated cume for the Wolfgang Petersen-helmed drama marks the third-biggest July 4 five-day gross, behind Fox's 1996 release "Independence Day" ($85 million) and Sony's 1997 release "Men in Black" ($79.3 million). "Storm's" estimated $41.5 million Friday-Sunday gross was a company best for the holiday frame and the second-biggest opening weekend of the summer and the year to date. Only Paramount's "Mission: Impossible 2" opened bigger, earning $70.8 million during the four-day Memorial Day frame. Most prerelease tracking had "Patriot" as the odds-on favorite to raise the flag in the top spot, but it ended up retreating in the face of "Storm." The Mel Gibson starrer turned in a $35.2 million five-day estimate and an estimated $22.4 million during the Friday-Sunday frame. The only other new wide release was Universal's "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle," which barely registered a blip on the boxoffice radar as the live-action/animated adventure earned an estimated $11 million during the five-day frame and an estimated $6.9 million from Friday-Sunday to land in the fifth slot. DreamWorks' "Chicken Run" showed its legs during the weekend as the claymation comedy feathered its nest with an estimated $21 million during the five days and $13.2 million from Friday-Sunday, slipping 25% from its debut to place third. But the relatively low drop, which brought "Chicken's" estimated total boxoffice to $49.4 million, must take into account an added 360 runs. Fox's "Me, Myself & Irene" slipped to the fourth spot, dropping a steep 47% during its second weekend while grossing an estimated $19.5 million during the five-day frame and $12.8 million from Friday-Sunday. (Brian Fuson) 

The Perfect Storm rained, er, reigned over the Independece Day weekend, swamping The Patriot in what was supposed to be a blockbuster showdown.

Over the five-day extended holiday (from Friday through Tuesday), George Clooney's maritime-disaster thriller opened with a towering $62.7 million.

That huge haul drowned out Mel Gibson's historical battle saga, which did just overhalf as much business, earning only $35.2 million in second place, according to final tallies released today from box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Clooney's true-life adventure movie, which recreates a peril-on-the-sea incident off the Massachusetts coast in 1991, was the third highest July 4 holiday grosser ever, behind Men in Black, which premiered with $51 million over the three-day weekend in 1997, and Independence Day, which arrived on cue with $50 million over a three-day weekend in 1996. The Warner Bros. release, Clooney's biggest open ever, debuted Friday at 3,407 sites and recorded a per screen average of $12,129 through Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Gibson's Revolutionary War family saga got a head start, opening Wednesday, but failed to muster the expected fireworks. The Sony release averaged $7,322 per screen in 3,061 theaters over the five-day holiday. Since its open, the film has grossed $44.5 million.

Industry analysts had thought the competition between the two big-budget movies headlined by popular stars would be closer. But The Patriot might have been hurt by its R rating and two-hour, 40-minute running time, not to mention its somewhat more complex storyline. In contrast The Perfect Storm was rated PG-13 and laden with special effects.

But the big losers this weekend were the moose and squirrel. Univeral's The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, a live-action/cartoon combo based on the 1960s toon, debuted down in fifth place with $10.3 million.

Instead, the kiddie audiences preferred chicken on their movie plate. The claymated fly-the-coop comedy Chicken Run, which features Gibson's voice, only dropped 25 percent from its second place debut last week. The DreamWorks release earned $21.4 million to claim the three spot.

That put it ahead of fourth place Me, Myself & Irene which fell hard, down 45 percent from number one last week. Jim Carrey's multiple-personality laugher, a Fox release, earned just $19 million and is proving to be a big disappointment for the studio.

Here's a rundown of top 10 flicks over the July 4 holiday weekend:

1. The Perfect Storm, $62.7 million
2. The Patriot, $35.2 million
3. Chicken Run, $21.4 million
4. Me, Myself & Irene, $19.4 million
5. The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, $10.3 million
6. Shaft, $9.7 million
7. Big Momma's House, $8.8 million
8. Gone in Sixty Seconds, $7.9 million
9. Mission: Impossible 2, $7.5 million
10. Gladiator, $3.9 million

The first five days of this Fourth of July week have exceeded all industry box office records, led by ``The Perfect Storm,'' which, at an estimated $63 million, captured 33% of the total box office and placed approximately $28 million ahead of its nearest competitor.

With an estimated $41.5 million in ticket sales for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the epic drama from Warner Bros. Pictures and Baltimore Spring Creek Productions, in association with Radiant Productions, starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, showed strength in all markets nationwide. It was the second most successful debut this summer and the third highest box office gross for any July 4th weekend opening.

``We are extremely proud of how Wolfgang Petersen brought Sebastian Junger's best-selling book so vividly to the screen, with great performances by George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg,'' said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures. ``The astonishing visual effects developed especially for the film by ILM put audiences right in the heart of the most powerful storm in history. The word-of-mouth on this film is outstanding and we expect to be entertaining audiences with 'The Perfect Storm' throughout the summer.''

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Baltimore Spring Creek Pictures Production in association with Radiant Productions, a Wolfgang Petersen Film starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, ``The Perfect Storm.'' The film also stars Diane Lane, William Fichtner, Karen Allen, Allen Payne, Bob Gunton, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and John C. Reilly. Music is by James Horner. The film is edited by Richard Francis-Bruce, A.C.E. William Sandell is the Production Designer. John Seale, ACS, ASC, is the Director of Photography. The Executive Producers are Barry Levinson and Duncan Henderson. Based on the books by Sebastian Junger, the screenplay is by Bill Wittliff. Paula Weinstein, Wolfgang Petersen and Gail Katz produced ``The Perfect Storm,'' which is directed by Wolfgang Petersen. www.perfectstorm.com.

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