
Ticket sales at the North American box office last year fell for the first time since 1991, despite higher ticket prices and aggressive marketing that ensured strong opening weekends for Hollywood movies ... Disappointments included follow-ups to "Charlie's Angels" and "Legally Blonde," as well as the final two installments in the "Matrix" trilogy. And not all comic book heroes are destined for greatness, as "The Hulk" found out.
With that in mind, the studios' 2004 slates are heavy with sequels and comic book heroes. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is set for release on June 4, followed by "Spider-Man 2" on July 2 and "Catwoman" on July 30. The latter film will compete for top honors with suspense director M. Night Shyamalan's thriller "The Village."