The 2014 holiday box office continues to out-pace the average for the last several years but is now slightly behind the same period in 2013.
The top 10 films on Saturday December 27, 2014 totaled $63.4 million, slightly above the average $60.4 million for the days since 2002 when December 27 landed on a Friday-Sunday. The last time December 27 fell on a Saturday (2008), the day’s top 10 films added up to a very average $60.5 million.
The studios are estimating the top 10 films today (Sunday December 28, 2014) will total $49.6 million, a touch below the $52.0 million average when December 28 landed on a weekend but slightly ahead of the $46.0 million when December 28 last fell on a Sunday (2008).
The 13 days December 16-28 total $485 million this year, now a healthy +9.3% ahead of the average for this period the last 12 years, although some of that gain will be given back over the next few days as we shift to weekdays. Compared to the same period in 2013, this year is now slightly behind (-1.7%) last year’s pace.
| Box Office Volume — Top 10 Films North America | ||||||
| ($ millions) | Past 12 years — 2002-2013 | |||||
| # days | 2014 | 2013 | Average | Peak Year | Low Year | |
| Dec 16-22 | 7 | 196 | 193 | 181 | 223 (’03) | 112 (’08) |
| Dec 16-23 | 8 | 222 | 226 | 214 | 247 (’03) | 128 (’08) |
| Dec 16-24 | 9 | 238 | 248 | 234 | 266 (’09) | 138 (’08) |
| Dec 16-25 | 10 | 309 | 315 | 290 | 349 (’09) | 205 (’08) |
| Dec 16-26 | 11 | 372 | 373 | 347 | 445 (’09) | 268 (’08) |
| Dec 16-27 | 12 | 436 | 432 | 397 | 521 (’09) | 329 (’08) |
| Dec 16-28 | 13 | 485 | 494 | 444 | 579 (’09) | 375 (’08) |
| Dec 16-29 | 14 | 541 | 488 | 637 (’09) | 408 (’04) | |
| Dec 16-30 | 15 | 580 | 531 | 693 (’09) | 442 (’04) | |
| Dec 16-31 | 16 | 616 | 568 | 742 (’09) | 475 (’08) | |
| Dec 16-Jan 1 | 17 | 664 | 616 | 820 (’09) | 525 (’08) | |
| Dec 16-Jan 2 | 18 | 690 | 652 | 901 (’09) | 558 (’04) | |
| Dec 16-Jan 3 | 19 | 733 | 679 | 947 (’09) | 571 (’04) | |
Looking ahead to Monday’s box office, December 29 has averaged $39.8 million when it has fallen on a weekday in the last 12 years, as it does this year (while the date has averaged $50.8 million when it has fallen on a weekend). The last time December 29 was on a Monday (2008), the day totaled $35.4 million for the top 10 films, and the time before that (2003) Monday December 29 added up to $32.7 million.
Come back each day for updates.
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