Elijah Wood (middle) plays an American college student caught up in the world of soccer hooliganism in England. Graeme Robertson/Getty Images

Going to the movie theater this fall? You're likely to encounter one thing:

An English accent.

Among the most anticipated releases in the next three months will be several movies distinctly British: the fourth Harry Potter film; the latest take on Oliver Twist (by controversial director Roman Polanski); and the new Johnny Depp vehicle, The Libertine, in which he plays the 17th century Earl of Rochester. And while Woody Allen's next flick won't hit theaters until December, even Mr. Neurotic Manhattan goes across the pond, with his Match Point focusing on the English upper class.

So, you ask, will the British tongue also be heard among the scattering of sports movies released this autumn? In a word ... Aye!

Green Street Hooligans focuses on the violent world of soccer hooliganism in England (although star Elijah Wood, in his role as a Harvard student, presumably will keep his American accent). And in the golf movie The Greatest Game Ever Played, Stephen Dillane will play one of the key characters, British champ Harry Vardon.

In general, however, this fall's movie selections will offer sports fans few reasons to visit the theater. Hollywood must know that most of our weekends will be spent watching football. And of the handful of movies that will have a sports theme, one features Johnny Knoxville -- providing even more reason to avoid your local multiplex.

Here's how it'll play out this fall (no sports movies are scheduled for November):

Green Street Hooligans

Opens: Sept. 9
Stars: Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani
Concept: Oxford Blues meets Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Story line: After being expelled from Harvard, Elijah Wood visits his sister in England and falls in with a crowd of overenthusiastic soccer -- oops, football -- fans.
Bottom line: If done right, a movie about soccer hooligans could have some real appeal. Maybe this is it -- it drew raves at the SXSW Festival. Perhaps Wood, no doubt looking to shed his Frodo Baggins image, will produce a killer performance. But Bend It Like Beckham notwithstanding, soccer films are always a tough sell.

Daltry Calhoun

Opens: Sept. 23
Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Juliette Lewis
Concept: Tin Cup meets Jackass meets Big Daddy
Story line: Knoxville plays a golf magnate (that's as specific as the movie description gets) struggling to keep his empire afloat when he suddenly must care for his estranged 14-year-old daughter.
Bottom line: We've seen this movie described as a dark comedy. That doesn't exactly jibe with Knoxville's brand of gross-out physical humor. Three words come to mind when predicting how successful this movie will be: Straight to video.

The Greatest Game Ever Played

Opens: Sept. 30
Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane, Peter Firth
Concept: Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius meets Seabiscuit
Story line: Drama focusing on the 1913 U.S. Open in which American amateur Francis Ouimet emerged victorious at Brookline, Mass., defeating legendary golfer Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff.
Bottom line: When it comes to golf movies, comedies always fare better than period dramas (see Caddyshack vs. The Legend of Baggar Vance). Bill Paxton, who is in the director's chair, probably won't be able to buck that trend. Sure, there will be some nice images, and the swirling music may send a chill up your spine. But if Cinderella Man was a box-office disappointment earlier this year, don't expect the greatest of crowds for Greatest Game.

Two For The Money

Opens: Oct. 7
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Al Pacino, Rene Russo
Concept: Everybody's All-American meets Rounders
Story line: McConaughey stars as an ex-college football star whose ability to handicap games draws him into the high-stakes sports-gambling business.
Bottom line: A high-profile cast could make this interesting, although it appears Pacino's character may be similar to the one he played in The Devil's Advocate (except without the horns, natch). Speaking of horns, wonder if McConaughey's character will be an ex-University of Texas player, since that's the actor's favorite college team.

Before The Fall

Opens: Oct. 7
Stars: Max Riemelt, Tom Schilling, Devid Striesow
Concept: Rocky IV, except from Ivan Drago's viewpoint (and if he were German instead of Russian)
Story line: A young boxer in World War II German is trained to become a killing machine by the Third Reich and faces the inevitable moral dilemma at the end of the movie.
Bottom line: This high-toned German film won't see a widespread audience, and it's doubtful the arthouse crowd will flock to a sports flick. But the movie has won a few film festival awards, and evidently the cinematography is wonderful.

Dreamer

Opens: Oct. 21
Stars: Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning
Concept: National Velvet meets Seabiscuit
Story line: A great horse trainer who's lost his way. A great horse now injured. Hmm, sounds familiar. But instead of a period piece, it's set in the modern day, with the goal to win the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Bottom line: Russell always delivers a solid effort, and he's pretty good in sports movies (see Miracle). Fanning is the flavor of the month among child stars. And perhaps there's enough time separation since Seabiscuit was released in 2003 so that moviegoers won't immediately think they've seen this before. By the time that realization hits in, they'll be halfway through the popcorn.