Up Chuck; Harry Down

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry takes the top spot away from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...As Potter fans decide to stay away--reading the last book in the series-- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book sales reach in a record 8.3 million copies in one day)... And even though it finished in 3rd place, Hairspray is getting a lot of positive attention...

Kevin James And Adam Sandler Make A Winning Team

Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo:

'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry opened atop the weekend box office, but Hairspray impressed the most with an estimated $27.8 million debut….

Pamela McClintock of Variety:

Universal's Adam Sandler and Kevin James' starrer "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" yukked it all the way to No. 1, beating holdover "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" in a busy--and close--race at the domestic box office.
"Chuck and Larry" made an estimated $34.8 million from 3,495 locations, while "Phoenix" grossed $32.2 million from 4,285 theaters in its second frame, a 58% drop.

New Line scored its own victory with "Hairspray," nabbing the best and widest opening ever for a musical. Film, starring John Travolta and newcomer Nikki Blonsky, made $27.8 million from 3,121 locations.

U finished the weekend with three comedies in the top 10; "Chuck and Larry," "Evan Almighty" and Judd Apatow's R-rated hit "Knocked Up."

"Chuck and Larry," about two firemen who pretend to be gay in order to get domestic partner benefits, is the eighth Sandler comedy to open at No. 1, although it opened lower than most big-budget Sandler laffers.

"Phoenix" crossed the $200 million mark at the domestic box office, with a new cume of $207.5 million.

Warners conceded that the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"--the final book in J.K. Rowling's series--at 12:01 a.m. Saturday likely dampened the performance of "Phoenix," as kids and older fans holed up over the weekend to read the tome.

It's the first time a Potter book as been released so close to the movie; in this case, a mere 10 days. Only one other book--"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood-Prince--has even been released in the same calendar year as one of the films, but that was four months apart.

Of the five Potter pics, "Phoenix," saw the biggest drop from opening weekend after "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," which dipped 63% in its second frame. They are the only two Potter films to be released in the summer frame...

The article contines here

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly:

As expected, Adam Sandler and Kevin James' comedy comes out on top -- but ''Hairspray'' is the weekend's real winner...