QUEEN LATIFAH - IRAQ WAR KEEPS CINEMA.GOERS AT HOME

QUEEN LATIFAH's comedy BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE leads the box office for the third straight weekend - but numbers have dropped significantly as a result of the war in Iraq.

The top 12 films grossed an estimated $83.9 million (GBP60 million) at the weekend (22/23MAR03) - a 29 per cent drop from the same weekend a year ago (MAR02).

MIRAMAX's RICK SANDS says, "I think the war has impacted people's desire to go out to the movies. I think people were at home with their families, they were watching the news and not a lot of movies did a lot of business."

Bringing Down the House - which sees Latifah starring alongside comic STEVE MARTIN - topped the box office with $16.2 million (GBP10.8 million), pushing its total take to $83.4 million (GBP55.6 million).

The STEPHEN KING adaptation DREAMCATCHER, starring MORGAN FREEMAN, opened in second place with $15.3 million (GBP10.2 million) and AGENT CODY BANKS - FRANKIE MUNIZ's teen-spy flick - dropped from second to third place in its second weekend, taking $9.3 million (GBP6.2 million).

And it wasn't a good weekend for Hollywood stunner GWYNETH PALTROW - her new movie VIEW FROM THE TOP, a slapstick airline comedy, could only debut in fourth.