The 2014 holiday box office has pulled even with 2013 and remains somewhat above the average for the last decade or so.
The top 10 films on Friday January 2, 2015 totaled a solid $51.9 million, somewhat above the average $48.7 million for the days since 2002 when this date landed on a weekend. When January 2 last fell on a Friday, the day’s top 10 films added up to a slightly lower $48.4 million in 2008 and a significantly lower $44.2 million in 2003.
The 18 days December 16-January 2 total $692 million this year, now +6.0% ahead of the average for this period the last 12 years and now basically even with the same period last year (+0.3%).
| Box Office Volume — Top 10 Films North America | ||||||
| ($ 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 | 376 | 373 | 347 | 445 (’09) | 268 (’08) |
| Dec 16-27 | 12 | 440 | 432 | 397 | 521 (’09) | 329 (’08) |
| Dec 16-28 | 13 | 487 | 494 | 444 | 579 (’09) | 375 (’08) |
| Dec 16-29 | 14 | 522 | 541 | 488 | 637 (’09) | 408 (’04) |
| Dec 16-30 | 15 | 560 | 580 | 531 | 693 (’09) | 442 (’04) |
| Dec 16-31 | 16 | 593 | 616 | 568 | 742 (’09) | 475 (’08) |
| Dec 16-Jan 1 | 17 | 640 | 664 | 616 | 820 (’09) | 525 (’08) |
| Dec 16-Jan 2 | 18 | 692 | 690 | 652 | 901 (’09) | 558 (’04) |
| Dec 16-Jan 3 | 19 | 733 | 679 | 947 (’09) | 571 (’04) | |
January 3 has averaged $42.5 million when it has landed on a weekend, while the date has averaged a lowly $15.7 million on weekdays. When January 3 has been a Saturday, the top 10 films have added up to $47.2 million in 2008 and $44.7 million in 2003.
Come back tomorrow for a look at the actual results for January 3, when we close the book on the overall holiday box office season.
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