BOX OFFICE BUZZ KNOCKOUT MOVIE FARE ON HIATUS.

Byline: GREG HERNANDEZ

It's waaaaaaaay too early in the summer season for anyone to have blockbuster fatigue. But we do get a brief respite this weekend from the mega-hype surrounding the likes of Spidey, Shrek and Jack Sparrow.

In fact, I don't think we'll be seeing such $100 million-plus boffo debuts again until the July 11 debut of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." That "Potter" release date is not wrong. Warner Bros. has moved up the film's opening by two days to a Wednesday bow instead of a Friday.

WILL 'KNOCKED UP' DELIVER? Before we get to "Potter" and other biggies such as "Ocean's 13" and the "Fantastic Four" sequel, this weekend we have the wide release of three more-modest films, none of which will have the firepower to knock "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" from the top spot."

The most buzz surrounds "Knocked Up," which comes from Judd Apatow, the guy who brought us "40 Year Old Virgin." I saw it this week at a packed screening and it got a lot of really big laughs.

Even though its stars, Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl have never headlined a film, it should draw out the young guys in droves and a lot of couples. Not to mention it will enjoy solid word of mouth. I see it opening as high as $30 million this weekend.

Doesn't $30 million -- an impressive opening for almost any movie -- seem puny after we had a trio of $100 million openings in May?

COSTNER'S LATEST: As for "Mr. Brooks," even though the thriller stars Kevin Costner and Demi Moore, neither has been much of a draw at the big box office since Bill Clinton was president. Costner has had some minor hits in recent years, and there is still a lot of interest in Moore and her young, hunky husband, Ashton Kutcher. "Brooks" could draw an adult audience looking for a drama and earn between $10 million and $12 million.

'GRACIE'S' GOAL: I don't see the soccer flick "Gracie" making much money, since it's a smaller film opening in just 1,164 theaters. It stars Elisabeth Shue and Dermot Mulroney and -- get this -- Shue's brother Andrew, who has not been seen in much of anything since ending his long run as Billy on TV's "Melrose Place."

STUDIO SQUABBLE: Disney had tons of fun boasting of a record six-day worldwide box office booty for last week's debut of "At World's End." But Sony Pictures Entertainment says no way. Its "Spider-Man 3" set the record just three weeks ago and the studio is ticked over Disney's claim because it included Tuesday night previews of 'Pirates' that were rolled into Wednesday grosses. Sony says this is a seventh day, while Disney maintains that it was simply following industry practice.

Sheesh! Why not stage a duel between Peter Parker and Jack Sparrow and settle it?

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