The most promising new release this weekend looks to be Warner Bros. Pictures' underwater-set disaster movie "Poseidon," which debuts in an ultrawide 3,555 theaters. Wolfgang Petersen directed the PG-13 thriller, which borrows the premise and name from 1972's "The Poseidon Adventure."

But for the voyage in 2006, Petersen started from scratch with contemporary characters and a screenplay from Mark Protosevich. Kurt Russell toplines the ensemble cast, which also includes Josh Lucas, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss and Andre Braugher.

Special effects technology has improved tremendously since 1972, so in addition to the cast, the concept and realism of the disaster play a large part in the film's appeal as well. The studio is targeting the 8-to-80 crowd with its roller-coaster thriller and hopes the film appeals to that wide demographic.

Petersen is no stranger to directing adventures on the high seas -- his track record includes "Das Boot" and "The Perfect Storm." The production costs on the special effects-filled "Poseidon" are estimated at $150 million. According to industry observers, the film is not tracking as strongly as some expected, but the tracking has been consistent.

The biggest competition for "Poseidon" this weekend is Paramount Pictures' "Mission: Impossible III." Although "M:I-3" opened to less than the previous two films of the franchise, the reviews and exit polls have been better, which tends to lead to positive word-of-mouth and good second-session holds.

Midweek business for the Tom Cruise starrer has been fairly solid, so "M:I-3" will head into the weekend with more than $60 million in its coffers. If the high-end actioner from director J.J. Abrams drops 50% from its opening, that would put the weekend tally in the $23 million-$24 million range.

Most industry observers say the race for the top spot between "M:I-3" and "Poseidon" will be close, but when pressed, they give a slight edge to the former to win the weekend.

20th Century Fox's "Just My Luck" opens in 2,541 theaters this weekend and is tracking to land in the third slot. The Lindsay Lohan starrer from director Donald Petrie is largely targeting girls 11-17 but will probably play slightly older as well.

The New Regency Entertainment production carries a PG-13 rating and centers on the luckiest girl in the world who finds she has swapped her good fortune for that of an unremittingly unlucky guy. Chris Pine co-stars, along with Samaire Armstrong and Bree Turner. Amy B. Harris and I. Marlene King wrote the screenplay.

Sony Pictures' "RV" most likely will take the fourth slot. The Robin Williams starrer, a family comedy with a PG rating, had the lowest drop of the top-ranked films last weekend and has generated about $33.3 million so far.

The only other film bowing in wide release this weekend is Buena Vista's "Goal! The Dream Begins," a PG-rated soccer drama that already has done well in several international markets. Danny Cannon directed the Icon Prods. film, which stars Kuno Becker and Alessandro Nivola.

"Goal!" centers on a young Latino who has the odds stacked against him and makes his way from Los Angeles to England with dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. It will kick off in 1,007 locations, the fewest of the weekend's new wide releases. The distributor noted that those runs are in strategic markets, places with strong promotional partners and ties with soccer. With the World Cup beginning June 9, the interest in the sport is running high.

In the limited-release arena, Sony Pictures Classics opens "Sketches of Frank Gehry" in two theaters in New York. Helmed by Sydney Pollack, the biographical documentary explores the famed architect's creative process.