>It was an even merrier Christmas than the studios were anticipating, as most of the holiday openings zoomed up more than 100% from their Saturday grosses, with even more of an increase expected on Monday.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL (Paramount): Still very much at the front of the pack, with a terrific 120% boost from Saturday to $13.6M and an expected 23% more anticipated on Monday. MI4 has a chance of exceeding $200M in total US gross if it holds up like this through New Year’s.
SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS (Warners): With a huge 148% Sunday increase to $9.6M and 20% more to come, Sherlock 2 probably still can’t match its predecessor, but the race may be closer than seemed likely a few days ago.
WAR HORSE (DreamWorks/Disney): Spielberg’s Oscar hopeful is off to a good, but not spectacular start, with $7.5M expected on each of Sunday and Monday. At that rate, it’ll still fall short of $100M unless the awards race keeps it going.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (Sony): Even with a 120% rise to $5.6M and 18% more anticipated on Monday, Dragon is undeniably underperforming, and one has to wonder where this leaves the other 2 planned films in the trilogy.
ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED (20th): Family movies play out a bit differently over this weekend, and Alvin rose a comparatively low 60% to $4.5M on Sunday, but expects a much higher 65% increase on Monday. In any case, it will still make little more than half of the other pictures in the franchise.
WE BOUGHT A ZOO (20th): Its weak start means that even the 140% increase on Sunday to $4.5M and 30% projected Monday rise leave it a modest performer at best.
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (Paramount): As with Alvin, a relatively low 56% Sunday increase to $3.6M should lead to a much higher 70% rise on Monday. But this very expensive production is doomed to make little impact in the US market, compared to its $240M overseas gross.
THE DARKEST HOUR (Summit): This was anticipated as minor counter programming, but at its current rate ($5.5M in 2 days), the film won’t even pay for its ad campaign.
THE ARTIST (Weinstein): This Oscar hopeful continues to underwhelm at the box-office, as a 76% increase to a $2500 per-theatre average is expected to be followed by another 25% rise.
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN (Weinstein): The increases are a little better (105% + 25%), but the per-theatre figure is a horrid $500-600.
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (Focus): Expanded very well to 53 theaters with about $5500 in each per day.
EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (Warners): In only 6 theaters, off to a very solid start with $11K per day in each.
ALBERT NOBBS (Roadside): Not pulling them in to its 2 theaters, with about $4500 per day in each.
IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY (FilmDistrict): Even with Angelina Jolie’s name as writer/director, not a big holiday audience for subtitled Bosnian atrocities, as the per-theatre at 3 theaters is about $3K for each day.
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