Sonu’s romantic comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan is the latest studio attempt to attract female moviegoers while a more male-skewing event film dominates the marketplace.

There was a time when a hot new release might sell out during its first weekend, sending would-be patrons scurrying for alternatives. That’s rare these days, when 4,000-theater runs offer anybody interested the chance to see a big release.

Yet there will be those who just aren’t interested, so counter-programming ploys aim to please those unhappy with the tentpole fare. Most often, that means female-targeted romantic comedies going head-to-head with megareleases, though executives hope they can attract a date crowd in addition to women flying solo.

“Women of every age will want to see Made Of Honor, but guys will have a good time as well,” Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said.

In June 2005, Universal’s romantic comedy The Perfect Man raked in $5.3 million the same weekend that Warner Bros. bowed Batman Begins to $48.7 million. The following June, Warners’ Superman Returns opened with $52.6 million, while Fox’s The Devil Wears Prada debuted to $27.5 million.

In May, Warners’ romantic comedy License To Wed registered $10.4 million, while DreamWorks/ Paramount’s testosterone-laced Transformers tucked away $70.5 million. And on May 9, Warners will unspool its family-oriented action film Speed Racer while Fox rolls the dice with its romantic comedy What Happens in Vegas.