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American Morning
"Legally Blonde" Tops Box Office
Aired July 16, 2001 - 10:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: You know, it wasn't just a given as to which movie was going to win the box office race this weekend.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, is that right?
KAGAN: That is so right.
HARRIS: OK, well, let's do tell. Let's hear more about this.
KAGAN: Do tell, Michael Okwu -- Mike?
HARRIS: CNN's Michael Okwu checks in from New York -- Michael?
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, guys.
That's right, it wasn't a given. I was busy watching Robert De Niro. But apparently not everyone else was. At movie theaters this weekend, audiences were, in fact, fond of a blonde.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REESE WITHERSPOON, ACTOR: Girls, I'm going to Harvard.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: You mean like on vaca? Let's all go.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Watch it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OKWU: Reese Witherspoon as a toe-headed coed was voted most popular at the box office this weekend. The screwball romantic comedy "Legally Blonde" brought in an estimated $20.4 million in its freshman outing. A $19 million debut for "The Score" added up to second place for the heist flick featuring some Hollywood heavyweights -- Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Edward Norton star as thieves after a priceless piece of art.
"Cats & Dogs" fetched an estimated 12 million bones this weekend. The picture, full of wisecracking canines and feline one liners, landed in third place. It was a fourth place finish for "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." The adventure film spun from a video game and starring a computer generated cast generated an estimated 11.5 million bucks in its debut. And the Wayans brothers horror film spoof "Scary Movie 2" took the fifth place spot with $9.5 million. (END VIDEOTAPE)
OKWU: And here's a shocker for you. Fans of "The Sopranos" may have to wait over a year for new episodes of the mob drama. HBO says there will be a fourth season, but it may not begin until as late as September 2002. The series usually begins new episodes in January. The show's creator told television critics in California over the weekend that new scripts could not be completed until June 2002. Meantime, HBO will rerun episodes from the first three seasons in order beginning August 12.
Fans of "Fear Factor" need not be afraid that the shock reality show won't return. NBC announced that it will bring "Fear Factor" back for the fall despite criticism over its content. The network also ordered more episodes of the reality program "Spy TV," which NBC is now calling actually a comedy. Both have been critically skewered for featuring gross out stunts and degrading behavior on camera. NBC says ratings have been strong for both.
That's the latest in entertainment news. Robert Downey, Jr. is expected in court in California later this morning. We'll keep you updated on that. Just check back in with us for our next ShowBiz Today reports at 11:35 A.M. Eastern.
I'm Michael Okwu in New York.
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