Weekend box office

The good news: Summer box-office revenues are just 0.07% behind last year by this date. The bad news: Attendance in July fell to 194.1 million, the first time since 1997 that movie attendance has failed to reach 200 million.

Some blame the drop-off on the public’s indifference to many of the movies Hollywood has released this summer.

“Other than ‘Finding Nemo,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and a few other films, there hasn’t been much momentum in the marketplace,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co.

Opening in limited release, “The Secret Lives of Dentists” grossed $121,769 at 12 theaters, “The Magdalene Sisters” debuted in five theaters grossing $84,553, while “And Now ... Ladies & Gentlemen” grossed $49,176 at six theaters.

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*--* MOVIE 3-DAY TOTAL VENUES AVERAGE WEEKS (STUDIO) GROSS (MILLIONS) PER VENUE 1 American Wedding $33.4 $33.4 3,172 $10,520 1 (Universal) 2 Spy Kids 3-D: Game $19.5 $68.5 3,364 $5,797 2 Over (Dimension) 3 Pirates of the $18.8 $209.5 3,390 $5,559 4 Caribbean (Buena Vista) 4 Seabiscuit (Universal) $17.6 $49.2 2,421 $7,285 2 5 Bad Boys II (Sony) $12.7 $111.3 3,022 $4,214 3 6 Lara Croft Tomb Raider $11.3 $42.6 3,222 $3,519 2 (Paramount) 7 Finding Nemo (Buena $3.9 $320.0 1,777 $2,172 10 Vista) 8 Gigli (Sony) $3.8 $3.8 2,215 $1,695 1 9 The League of $3.3 $59.0 2,007 $1,628 4 Extraordinary Gentlemen (Fox) 10 Terminator 3 (Warner $3.0 $142.9 1,910 $1,563 5 Bros.)

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Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.