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FRIENDLY FIRE The Sum of All Fears (May 31) vs. The Bourne Identity (June 14)

The lucrative 72-hour Memorial Day blitz was shaping up to be the ultimate episode of the next Celebrity Boxing: Former costars and longtime friends Matt Damon (Bourne) and Ben Affleck (Sum) face off in two highly touted spy-novel adaptations with franchise potential. But Universal blinked, shuffling Identity to June 14 and replacing it with the Eddie Griffin comedy Undercover Brother. A studio rep insists the move was not motivated by any perceived Matt-Ben rivalry but declined to comment further. SURVEY SAYS By avoiding a high-stakes spy vs. spy, we could have two winners: a tidy Sum for Memorial Day followed by a newly Bourne action star in June.

GENDER WARS Bad Company vs. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (June 7)

After the high-testosterone May onslaught, prepare for more bullets 'n' bombs with the Chris Rock-Anthony Hopkins CIA yarn Company, another in a long line of terrorism-themed flicks postponed after Sept. 11. Or clear your head for the estrogen-heavy Secrets, based on the biggest best-seller Oprah never endorsed. "Sandra Bullock and Ashley Judd command huge openings thanks to female fans," Farasati says of Ya-Ya. "Together in cute, comedic roles, there's no telling what they can do." SURVEY SAYS Bullock and Judd (who don't have any scenes together) are members of that rare, review-proof female flock--led by Julia, of course--that typically opens strongly. Audiences should go ga-ga for Ya-Ya.

BROTHERS IN ARMS Signs vs. Igby Goes Down (Aug. 2)

Perhaps the oddest choice for moviegoers: Do we support Culkin sibling No. 4, 19-year-old Kieran, in the Susan Sarandon family comedy Igby, or Culkin sibling No. 7, 12-year-old Rory, in Mel Gibson's supernatural saga Signs? SURVEY SAYS With a bona fide superstar (Gibson) and a still-hot director (M. Night Shyamalan), we're seeing dollar Signs--if it weren't for that weekend's other, Vin Diesel-fueled debut. "The bigger problem is XXX," says Dergarabedian. "Everyone saw how well The Fast and the Furious did last summer. That says it all." Perhaps it's just as well that Macaulay is sitting out this summer.

(Additional reporting by Jennifer Armstrong and Jennifer Long)


Posted Apr 19, 2002 | Published in issue #649 Apr 19, 2002 | Order Article Reprints
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