‘Harry Potter’ enchants film fans

Los Angeles — The boy wizard has worked his biggest box-office spell to date.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” charmed audiences to the tune of $92.65 million in its debut weekend, the best results yet for the franchise, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

It was the third-best three-day opening weekend ever, behind “Spider-Man” at $114.8 million in 2002 and “Shrek 2” at $108 million last month.

Still to come is summer’s most anticipated movie, “Spider-Man 2” on June 30, with a rush of potential hits to follow, including “The Bourne Supremacy,” “The Manchurian Candidate” and “Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.”

Other estimates for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.:

2. “Shrek 2,” $37 million.

3. “The Day After Tomorrow,” $28.15 million.

4. “Raising Helen,” $6.7 million.

5. “Troy,” $5.7 million.

Gospel singer gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Los Angeles — Grammy-winning gospel singer Andrae Crouch has claimed a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, calling the tribute “another open door to tell people about Jesus.”

As the star was unveiled Friday, Crouch’s gospel choir sang to a crowd of about 400, which included Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr. and Jean-Luc Sibiude, consul general of France.

Crouch, 61, joins fellow gospel artists Mahalia Jackson and the Rev. James Cleveland on the Walk of Fame.

Crouch has won six Grammys for gospel performances and one for a pop-contemporary gospel album.

Michael Moore: They do like me

Director Michael Moore says big names like Meryl Streep and Martin Scorsese supported his controversial speech at the 2003 Oscars.

The “Fahrenheit 9/11” filmmaker took to the stage at the glitzy ceremony to accept the award for his acclaimed “Bowling For Columbine,” and proceeded to call shame on President Bush’s war on Iraq. But, while the media insisted many were infuriated, the documentary maestro said he was sent letters of support by many Hollywood “A” listers.

Moore says, “Some complained about it on TV. I was glad they didn’t like it. I got incredible notes, phone calls, e-mails and letters from Jonathan Demme, Jeff Bridges, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep — I could go down a whole list, but I don’t know if I should out them.”