WILL 'BUCKET' MAKE MOVIEGOERS' WEEKEND LIST? (VAR, THR)

By Nancy Vialatte

Can �Juno� kick the �Bucket List� this weekend? The Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman starrer opens wide this weekend along with urban comedy �First Sunday,� but the little film that could is expanding to 2,448 runs and has already moved up to number 1 this week with $55.7M through Wednesday.

"Bucket List," directed by Rob Reiner, goes into 2,911 theaters. It has been playing in an exclusive, 16-theater run since Dec. 25, grossing $1.4 million through Wednesday.

Warners distribution president Dan Fellman told the Hollywood Reporter that audience surveys from limited runs for "Bucket List" have him feeling good about the comedy's prospects in wide release.

"Our exit surveys in the three cities that we were in were some of the best the company has ever had," Fellman said. "Both Morgan and Jack have such an incredible filmography. To see them together is rare, and there is just a chemistry between the two, who are very likable and entertaining."

"First Sunday" bows in 2,213 sites and tracking is strong, says Variety.

On the specialty side, Focus Features' "Atonement" expands from 583 theaters to 950 ahead of Sunday's announcement of Golden Globes winners. "Atonement" has seven nominations, including drama, the most of any title.

Elsewhere on the specialty front, Picturehouse expands Spanish thriller "The Orphanage" from 69 theaters to 707.

The fate of the weekend's two other wide releases isn't clear.

Universal bows animated sequel "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie" on 1,336 screens. The last �Veggies Tale� film, released in 2002, grossed $25.6 million domestically.

Freestyle Releasing will bow bigscreen video game adaptation "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale" in 1,605 theaters. The film was directed by Uwe Boll and produced by Brightlight Pictures.

On the foreign front, "I Am Legend" is likely to continue its streak. The Will Smith vehicle's launching in Germany and Italy and had gone past $180 million as of Wednesday after winning in virtually every market, notes Variety.

"The Golden Compass" will also be a significant player given its foreign traction thus far. Fantasy's hit a robust $231 million international cume despite a domestic take of just $65 million.

Romantic comedy "27 Dresses" will launch in Australia, a week ahead of the domestic opening. Australia, which is in the midst of its summer holiday season, will also see the launch of "American Gangster."

U's also expanding "Charlie Wilson's War" into Greece and the UK, and "Atonement" into Spain, Sweden and Taiwan.

Industrywide, executives hope the many disparate bits of releasing activity this weekend add up to a lucrative whole. So far, 2008 is off 2% from the same portion of last year, notes THR.