I had a feeling this Christmas weekend was going to be a big one at the box office, and boy was I right. With Avatar once again in the lead – and lots of other choices – the holiday weekend set a record with an estimated $278 million in weekend box-office revenue. That broke the previous record of roughly $253 million set in July 2008 on the weekend The Dark Knight was released, according to the Associated Press. Not too shabby.
Here is the top five at the box office this weekend:
1. Avatar (Fox) – $75 mil; 3,456 theaters; $21,701 PT; $212.2 mil cume
2. NEW! Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.) – $65.3 mil; 3,626 theaters; $18,031 PT
3. NEW! Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Fox) – $50.2 mil; 3,700 theaters; $13,568 PT: $77 mil cume (opened Wednesday)
4. NEW! It’s Complicated (Universal) – $22.1 mil; 2,887 theaters; $7,660 PT
5. Up in the Air (Paramount) – $11.7 mil; 1,895 theaters; $6,203 PT; $24.5 mil cume
Of course, having Christmas fall on a Friday is a big help, but I can’t remember a holiday season in which there were so many different and equally entertaining movies to choose from. Studios really should take note on this trend.
I’m particularly pleased to see Sherlock Holmes did so well since, well, I want it to get a Best Picture nomination. The reviews have been mixed, which may hurt a little, but then again, so were the reviews for Avatar and that seems to be a shoo-in (I know, I know – a shoo-in for all the technical awards but still …)
So since there aren’t any new films opening New Year’s weekend, which one of these fine films do you think will gain speed? Avatar and Sherlock Holmes may slide a little, with the repeat business dwindling a little. So, believe it or not, I’m thinking Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel may actually forge ahead. It’s a kids’ flick. It’s something they might want to see again. And it’s short. I’m just saying … Here’s a clip of the girl chipmunks singing Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”: