Extreme-sports actioner XXX, with visual effects by Digital Domain, was the number one film this weekend, earning $44.5M. The signs were still good for M. Night Shyamalan's crop-circle caper, which has already crossed the $100M mark after ten days in theaters. SIGNS, with visual effects by ILM, dropped 51% from last weekend but still brought in $29.4M for a total of $117.9M and second place. Family friendly sequel SPY KIDS 2: THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS, with visual effects by ComputerCafe, debuted in third with $16.7M for the weekend and a total of $25M since its Wednesday debut. Yeah baby!

Andrew Adamson, co-director of SHREK, has been hired to direct a live-action feature film adaptation of THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE. Producer Walden Media partnered with The CS Lewis Company to option the entire seven-part fantasy book series THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, of which THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE is best-known. Writer Ann Peacock (A LESSON BEFORE DYING) will adapt the screenplay. The film does not yet have a distributor, but Walden hopes to have it in theaters by mid-2004. SHREK marked Adamson’s feature film directing debut.

All signs pointed to big money at the box office this weekend, when M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller took the top spot, besting AUSTIN POWERS: GOLDMEMBER and scoring August's highest non-sequel debut in history. SIGNS, with visual effects by ILM, was number one with a $60.3M debut. GOLDMEMBER was second, dropping off 56% from its first weekend, but still earning a strong $30M for a two-week total of $140M. The third and fourth spots were held by two new releases, the Dana Carvey starrer THE MASTER OF DISGUISE with $17M and MARTIN LAWRENCE: LIVE with $7.5M.

GOLDMEMBER, the third installment in the AUSTIN POWERS franchise, handily topped the box office this weekend with a whopping $71.4M debut. This gives the spy spoof $75M total (including Thursday's sneak preview gross) making it the highest July debut ever. The weekend's other new film, Disney's THE COUNTRY BEARS, based on the Disneyland theme park attraction, made a lackluster sixth place debut with $5.2M. This may not bode well for Disney's upcoming features based on theme rides The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

DreamWorks
SKG has thrown its hat into the anime ring with the acquisition of
the worldwide distribution rights for the Japanese animated film
MILLENNIUM ACTRESS. The film rights, licensed from The Klockworx Co.,
Ltd., include all forms of distribution including theatrical, home
video, television and ancillary rights, and covers all markets with
the exception of Asia. Based in Tokyo, The Klockworx Co., Ltd. will
oversee the film's release in Asia. Directed by PERFECT BLUE director

Despite three new films in wide release, this weekend posted a relatively low total box office. And in a repeat of the LILO & STITCH vs. MINORITY REPORT box office battle, a family film was neck and neck with an adult drama, only to lose the top spot. The continuing adventures of the animated mouse of STUART LITTLE 2 lost its hold on the number one box office spot to THE ROAD TO PERDITION. STUART LITTLE 2, with visual effects by Sony Imageworks, debuted in second place with $15.1M, following closely behind ROAD's $15.4M.

Hollywood, California-based production house Cinesite will be providing visual effects for the 20th Century Fox feature X-MEN 2, scheduled to be in theaters May 2, 2003. In this sequel to 2000's X-MEN, Brian Cox (THE BOURNE IDENTITY) portrays the villainous Stryker, a former Army commander who holds the key to Wolverine's past - as well as the future of the X-MEN. The original cast from X-MEN will return, joined by Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, a mutant who can teleport himself from one point to another almost instantaneously.

DreamWorks Pictures’ has enlisted Jim Carrey and Garry Shandling to voice the main characters in its upcoming 3D animated comedy OVER THE HEDGE, based on the comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis. OVER THE HEDGE, slated for release in 2005, will be the second computer animated project to be produced entirely at DreamWorks’ animation studio in Glendale, following the comedy SHARKSLAYER, which is currently in production. Produced by Bonnie Arnold (TOY STORY, TARZAN), OVER THE HEDGE follows the adventures of mischievous raccoon R.J.

Four new releases failed to attack the MEN IN BLACK's box office hold. Despite a 50% drop from last weekend's monstrous box office, MEN IN BLACK II is still number one, earning $25M and breaking the $100M mark after just 8 days. The film, with primary visual effects by ILM, has earned $133.3M since its July 4 debut. DreamWorks' THE ROAD TO PERDITION, debuted in second place with $22.1M. In third was the dragonslaying thriller REIGN OF FIRE, with visual effects by The Secret Lab, which brought in $16M, and HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION managed to scare up $12.3M for fourth place.

Miramax Films is joining the ranks of studios with animation projects in the works. The independent film studio has partnered with LEGO Media to develop a CG-animated motion picture for 2004 release, based on LEGO’s successful Bionicle toys and comics. In addition to the feature film project, the agreement gives Miramax worldwide distribution rights to LEGO Media's previously announced, CG-animated direct-to-video movie, BIONICLE: MASK OF LIGHT, scheduled to debut in September 2003.