'Virgin' scores; 'Smart' move next for Carell

Steve Carell is no longer a box office virgin. "The 40-Year-OldVirgin" held his own against some mainstream studio offerings thisweekend.

And now Carell has been tapped to play Maxwell Smart in a big-screen version of "Get Smart."

Producer Charles Roven tells this column, "It's just perfectcasting for Maxwell Smart. Steve has that wonderful ability to be sonaturally likable. He plays an innocent incredibly well and he'sbelievable. He's not an imbecile. He's genuine."

He says Carell already has agreed to a few spy specifics. "Heknows he can't play it like Don Adams," Roven says. "He really has tomake it his own."

And what about the idea that most movies based on TV shows usuallystink? Roven opines, "Well, 'Starsky and Hutch' did great at the boxoffice. The movie worked. With this summer's 'Bewitched,' they hadwonderful actors, but the movie didn't work as well. The entire moviehas to work. That's what we're shooting for with 'Get Smart.' "

'RED' FLAG: There was little turbulence for the airplane thriller"Red Eye," which easily took the No. 2 spot, although it wasprojected to come in No. 1.

Not to spoil the film -- about a woman on a red eye with a killer -- but something doesn't compute. Rachel McAdams' character flies fromTexas to Miami, which isn't exactly an overnighter type of flight --a few hours maybe. Screenwriter Carl Ellsworth admits, "I think theDallas to Miami flight is about 2 hours and 40 minutes. We playedwith time a little bit."

'EYE' ON THE NEW GUY: "Red Eye's" resident creepo is played by big-eyed actor Cillian Murphy, of "28 Days Later" fame. What's in hisname? "Well, like most Irish names, no one can pronounce it. Itactually comes from saints," Murphy tells this column. "You say itwith a hard C."

Murphy is becoming a name in Hollywood with a turn this summer inthe acclaimed "Batman Begins" as the Scarecrow. Would he be up for asequel? "I would love to do another Batman," he says. "The filmmakershave an option to have me return, and I'd gladly do so. Scarecrow isa mysterious figure, and I think we could do a lot more with him."

Murphy says he doesn't mind playing baddies. "I've done 12 moviesnow but have only played bad guys twice. I'm not worried abouttypecasting," he insists. "I think audiences are a lot moreintelligent then we give them credit for."

But he embraced his inner nutcase to terrorize poor Rachel McAdamsin "Red Eye." It was a coveted role -- to the point that big nameslike Tom Cruise and Jude Law were mentioned early on as contendersfor it. During casting, Murphy was in London about to get married,but flew to L.A. for a quick meeting with director Wes Craven. "Iflew over to meet Wes, and it was like a 40-minute lunch, and then Igot on a plane and went home because I had to be at the registryoffice to sign a book. Then the wedding happened last August.'' Hegot hitched to video artist Yvonne McGuinness.

AND FINALLY: "Survivor" hunk Colby Donaldson has a small role as asecurity guard in "Red Eye." We asked: What's more vicious, Hollywoodor "Survivor"? "Oh, 'Survivor' prepared me for Hollywood," Donaldsonsays. "In fact, the acting business is just like 'Survivor.' There'sduplicity in both games."

Big Picture News Inc.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at North Americantheaters:

1. The 40-Year-Old Virgin $20.6 mill.

2. Red Eye $16.5 mill.

3. Four Brothers $13 mill.

4. Wedding Crashers $8.3 mill.

5. The Skeleton Key $7.4 mill.

6. March of the Penguins $6.7 mill.

7. Valiant $6.1 mill.

8. Dukes of Hazzard $5.7 mill.

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory $4.5 mill.

10. Sky High $4 mill.