Ho-Hum-Bug

The final weekend of 2006 doesn't really offer much in the way of a big opening at the box office...

The Christmas Day powerhouse Dreamgirls (reviews) goes wide; The biopic Miss Potter (reviews) peels back layers of famed child author Beatrix Potter (Renée Zellweger); From director Guillermo del Toro comes Pan's Labyrinth (reviews); The Dead Girl (reviews) a mystery staring Brittany Murphy and the great Toni Collette; Recent Golden Globe nominee Zach Braff finds himself in yet another romantic comedy called Fast Track (reviews)

Ian Mohr and Dave McNary of Variety give us a more detailed look at what's out there:

Following its socko one-day start on Christmas, Paramount and DreamWorks' big screen musical "Dreamgirls" will be up for a test this frame as the pic plays its first full weekend in 852 play dates.

Par also will send out, in limited release, the international hit "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer."

Pic, which came to Par with its purchase of DreamWorks, has played to more than $95 million so far overseas, including almost $50 million in Germany. Adapted from Patrick Suskind's bestseller, pic stars Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman and was helmed by Tom Tykwer ("Run, Lola, Run").

Multiplexes will see precious little new studio fare this holiday weekend. But that means good news for a handful of holdovers gunning for further life at the B.O.

Last frame's resounding No. 1, Fox's "Night at the Museum," should continue to spin the turnstiles: Pic has played to nearly $68 million to date after raking in $42.2 million over the extended Christmas frame.

Sony's feel-good drama "The Pursuit of Happyness" also will look to march toward the $100 million mark. Pic, starring Will Smith as a homeless father, has so far played to $73.6 million since its Dec. 15 bow.

MGM's "Rocky Balboa" will still be fighting in theaters after a solid launch last frame. Lion also will expand its horror holiday pic "Black Christmas," to 1,544 engagements. (Pic has so far played to $6.2 million since its Christmas rollout.)

Limited release scene including "Perfume" will perk up significantly as specialty studios aim to roll out scads of product in time to qualify for Oscar consideration.

MGM alone is sending out five more pics in limited engagements, including "Arthur and the Invisibles," "Factory Girl," "Fast Track" and "Miss Potter" -- all of which come from the Weinstein Co. -- as well as the studio's pickup "The Flying Scotsman."

Also, Universal is rolling out "Children of Men" in select markets.

Picturehouse -- the joint venture between New Line and HBO Films -- will send out "Pan's Labyrinth" in 17 engagements. Specialty arm decided to wait to roll out the pic to avoid the fall arthouse crush.

Fox Searchlight rolls with "Notes on a Scandal" in 22, while Warner Independent expands "The Painted Veil" into 37.

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Entertainment Weekly says:

Ben Stiller's box office magic will remain on display, while "Dreamgirls" and "Happyness" slug it out for silver

Talk about going out low key... Wake me up on Tuesday...