WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
1) Avatar - $75 million
2) Sherlock Holmes - $65.3 million
3) Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel - $50.2 million
4) It's Complicated - $22.1 million
5) Up In The Air - $11.75 million
6) The Blind Side - $11.73 million
7) The Princess and the Frog - $8.6 million
8) Nine - $5.5 million
9) Did You Hear About The Morgans? - $5 million
10) Invictus - $4.3 million
It was a very busy holiday weekend at the box office, perhaps one of the busiest of all-time, as James Cameron's 3D outer-space epic Avatar just barely beats out three highly-anticipated new holiday films to take the number one spot in the box office for a second week in a row. The film, which is now in approximately 3,456 theaters enjoyed some terrific word-of-mouth making $21,701 per theater for an additional $75 million in its second week of release. In two weeks the movie has now made an estimated $212 million, which is very close to recouping its purported $237 million production budget and is posed to make back the estimated $150 million that 20th Century Fox spent on marketing and advertising. However, right on it's heels at second place was the long awaited, Guy Ritchie adapted, film of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle novels, Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role along with Jude law as his partner Watson and Rachel McAdams. The film, which was released in 3,626 theaters made a little over $18,000 per theater for a total of $65.3 million in it's first week.
The fact that it was a holiday weekend and children were home from school for most of the week helped Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel, a sequel to the popular 2007 film starring the singing critters, which opened on the Wednesday before Christmas. The movie, which was in 3,700 theaters made over $13,000 per theater for an opening weekend total of $50.2 million and a five day gross of $77 million. Coming in at fourth place was another newcomer to the charts, the Nancy Myers' directed, romantic-comedy It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. The film, which was in 2,887 theaters made approximately $7,660 per theater for an opening weekend total of roughly $22.1 million. Rounding out the top five, in it's fourth week of release but it's first week wide, was Up In The Air from Juno director Jason Reitman starring George Clooney as a traveling corporate axe-man. The film, which has already received several award nominations and has was doing quite well in limited release added 1,720 theaters this week for a total of 1,895 theaters were the film was shown and earned $6,203 per theater for a holiday weekend total of roughly $11.7 million. In fact, the film had an impressive 266.2% increase from last week for a total of $24.5 million so far, just shy of it's making back it's $25 million purported budget cost.
Opening in limited release this week was the late Heath Ledger's final film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus directed by film visionary Terry Gilliam. The movie, which was only seen in four theaters made a decent $32,500 per theater for a total of $130,000 in its debut week. Doing very well in limited release in its second week was the alcoholic-Country Music Singer redemption film, starring Jeff Bridges in a role that is sure to earn him an Oscar nomination and co-starring screen-legend Robert Duvall and Maggie Gyllanhaal. The film, which was added in eight theaters this week averaged $13,000 per theater for a total of $156,000, an increase of 88.7% from last week bringing its total gross up to $321,000 in its second week. However not doing so hot this week was the new film from acclaimed director Peter Jackson, The Lovely Bones, based on the beloved book of the same name, now in its third week of release. The film, which dropped 15.7% from last week, is still only being shown in three theaters and made a disappointing $12,667 per theater for a weekend total of $38,000 bringing its total gross only up to 273,000, a long way away from making back it's purported budget of $100 million.
This Friday is New Year's Day and unfortunately there are no new movies set for release. However, you can be sure that James Cameron's Avatar and Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes will continue to battle it out for the number one spot with Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel, George Clooney's Up In The Air and Meryl Streep's It's Complicated hot on their heels. January 8th, 2010 will see the return of new movies to the box office as a slew of highly anticipated new films are scheduled for release. Check back in seven days to see who comes out on top at the box office next week and from all your friends at Movieweb please have a safe and happy New Year's Eve.
Avatar was released December 18th, 2009 and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. The film is directed by James Cameron.
Sherlock Holmes was released December 25th, 2009 and stars Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Robert Maillet, Geraldine James, Kelly Reilly. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie.
Comments (44)
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fanboy
i want to see this in 3D so bad
2 years agoby @fanboyFlag
justinishulk
Avatar is true of art!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!
2 years agoby @justinishulkFlag
Brian
Heck yeah Moviemaniak!
2 years agoby @brianFlag
Moviemaniack1993
I cannot wait to own the Blu-ray of Avatar. Saw it twice in IMAX and will probably take my father so I can see it for a third time. Completely exceeded my expectations and then some. I now know how people must have felt upon seeing King Kong or Wizard of Oz in their heyday. Word of mouth is phenomenal for this film and I hope it keeps on going. Such an awesome spectacle.
2 years agoby @moviemaniack1993Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
Who wrote this. they say that one minute $6200 per theatre (Up in the Air) is good, and then for The Lovely Bones with $12,000 per theatre that its disappointing. Wtf? Per screen average, "Lovely Bones" is doing pretty well in 3 f*cking theaters. Jeezus christ.
2 years agoby @narratorFlag
Narzion
fanboy that is bad, because 3-D was out of this world
2 years agoby @narzionFlag
fanboy
i want to see it in 3D, but sadly Wyoming only has like 1 3D screen in the whole state and i would have to drive like 5 hours to do so :(
2 years agoby @fanboyFlag
fanboy
no surprise here.
2 years agoby @fanboyFlag
Avian
Yeah! I loved Avatar!
2 years agoby @avian005Flag
-comrade-
Profit break.
2 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag
Diaigma
This just in:
Avatar = 615 million world wide . . . in 10 DAYS!
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
justinishulk
yup narzion
2 years agoby @justinishulkFlag
Narzion
avatar......number one....again
2 years agoby @narzionFlag
guidotkp3
This movie will go down as a huge overall film, I am just saying that in all small towns that I am associated with, as well as many other small towns that I have talked with other theatre owners all will tell you the same thing. Avatar is doing ok business, but it's nothing big. Truth be told, Blind Side and Twilight both were doing double the amount that Avatar is doing in the small towns. Numbers are good, but I have seen better. All I can say is this film did not float my boat. I will not bash those that like this film. Glad you did..This is just not my type of movie. I am however, extremely excited to see Iron Man 2 this coming summer.
2 years agoby @guidotkp3Flag
Diaigma
I'll just say this. I don't mind at all if this tops the all time record.
I don't mind if Cameron sinks his own record.
ANYTHING to get that awful big boat movie off the # 1 spot :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Batman Rules !!!
What a Slow ass news day lol
2 years agoby @the-fallenFlag
ed_wood
I saw it again this weekend, great movie.
2 years agoby @ed-woodFlag
Folgetag
amc at westgate in glendale has avatar in 2d, at least it did on christmas
2 years agoby @folgetagFlag
CelluloidDreams
The only theaters that are showing "Avatar" in Arizona ar only showing 3-D screenings ...None have only 2-D!
2 years agoby @2movieguysFlag
CelluloidDreams
WOW!!
2 years agoby @2movieguysFlag
ZanyZap
I saw it again about a half hour ago. Double the amazing. Sadly, I had to revisit Pandora in 2D. The theater's special projector broke. To much awesomeness, I assume. I told the poor attendant, nicely of course, that "James Cameron's gonna piss on you."
It looks, however, based on this weekends superb gross, Cameron will let it slide. Hoorah!
2 years agoby @zanyzapFlag
CelluloidDreams
In its 10 days of release, "Avatar" has made $212 million domestically - and could be on its way to a worldwide gross of over $1 billion.
2 years agoby @2movieguysFlag
Cartman
@ guidotkp3 - hehe yeah right, Alvin tops the chart?! and U compare the movie with AVATAR? This is the best joke of this year,..... Y dont u come to my backyard, i have 3 speaking Squirrels and 1 wearing goggles ofcrz, they said AVATAR is great!!!
2 years agoby @c-a-r-t-m-a-nFlag
Cripple
Right there with you Jokerr2e. 2010 will see me at the theaters more than at home. Also adding Inception to that list of yours.
2 years agoby @crippleFlag
DareDevil
AVATAR rules,no matter how was the story, no matter if some critics find their ways to show how pissed off they are since they could not find anything reasonable to criticise ,AVATAR is on top and critics cant kill the fact that people( movie lovers & analysts ) likes it a lot and that can be easily seen through over view reviews.
2 years agoby @sunnyboy4uFlag
justinishulk
woooooooooooooooow!!!!!! saw it.. WICKEST EVER!.... going to see it again
2 years agoby @justinishulkFlag
Diaigma
joekerr2e
Kudos for mentioning The Last Airbender per the 2010 box office boomage.
That too will be a ride and a half :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
guidotkp3
Avatar was a great movie from spectacle stand point. Story was just average. Not a film I need to see again. Still am not sure why it's doing so much business. All big city business I guess. Most of my small towns that I keep track of, it's...
1. Alvin
2. Sherlock
3. Blind Side
4. Avatar
2 years agoby @guidotkp3Flag
reelmein
Iam still trying to make up my mind if i whant to see Avatar ...
2 years agoby @reelmeinFlag
Warhawk613
Avatar is kicking some ass in the box office
2 years agoby @warhawk613Flag