New Year’s Day totaled $46.7 million for the top 10 films this holiday season, slightly below the $50.1 million average for this date but somewhat above the $44.2 million average for January 1 when it falls on a weekday.
| January 1: Top 10 Films ($ millions) | |||||||
| Jan 1 on Weekdays | Jan 1 on Weekends | ||||||
| Top10 | #1 film | Top10 | #1 film | ||||
| 2012-13 | Tue | 46.7 | The Hobbit | 2011-12 | Sun | 42.6 | Mission Impossible 4 |
| 2008-09 | Thu | 50.1 | Marley & Me | 2010-11 | Sat | 57.1 | Little Fockers |
| 2007-08 | Tue | 41.2 | Natl Treasure Book | 2009-10 | Fri | 77.5 | Avatar |
| 2006-07 | Mon | 41.0 | Night at the Museum | 2005-06 | Sun | 42.6 | King Kong |
| 2003-04 | Thu | 45.2 | Return of the King | 2004-05 | Sat | 48.7 | Meet the Fockers |
| 2002-03 | Wed | 40.7 | Two Towers | ||||
With New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day now in the books, the holiday season December 16-January 1 now totals $600 million this year, -3% below the 2004-11 average and -7% behind 2007 (the last year with the same calendar layout as 2012). But when we look at the heart of the holiday movie season (the Big Eight Days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day), 2012’s $404 million is almost +5% ahead of the same period in both the multi-year average and 2007. The warm-up to the holiday season (December 16-24) is what put a blemish on 2012: the $196 million from December 16-24 this season was -16% behind the same period in the multi-year average and -24% behind the 2007 period.
| Holiday Season — First 17 Days | |||
| Top 10 Films by Day — $ millions | |||
| 2012 | 2007 | 2004-2011 average | |
| Dec 16-24 | 196 | 258 | 233 |
| Dec 25 | 68.1 | 57.4 | 56.6 |
| Dec 26 | 51.9 | 50.4 | 59.3 |
| Dec 27 | 45.8 | 45.6 | 48.5 |
| Dec 28 | 52.0 | 53.5 | 44.2 |
| Dec 29 | 57.1 | 56.4 | 43.9 |
| Dec 30 | 46.2 | 48.0 | 45.4 |
| Dec 31 | 35.8 | 33.9 | 37.9 |
| Jan 1 | 46.7 | 41.2 | 50.1 |
| Dec 25-Jan 1 | 404 | 386 | 386 |
| Dec 16-Jan 1 | 600 | 644 | 619 |
Looking back at the Big Eight Days of the holiday season (December 25-January 1) over the last decade, 2012 actually compares pretty nicely — trailing only 2009, the truly extraordinary season of Avatar. In contrast, 2012 ranks second to last in the December 16-24 warm-up period over the last decade. (Only 2008’s $138 million was worse than 2012’s $196 million for December 16-24.) So 2012 ends on a solid note after a rocky beginning to the holiday season — a fitting end to a very good year overall.
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Holiday Movie Season’s Big Eight Days Top 10 films Dec 25-Jan 1 ($ millions) |
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| Rnk | Year | Gross |
| 1 | 2009 | 554 |
| 2 | 2012 | 404 |
| 3 | 2008 | 387 |
| 4 | 2007 | 386 |
| 5 | 2011 | 379 |
| 6 | 2010 | 368 |
| 7 | 2006 | 356 |
| 8 | 2003 | 348 |
| 9 | 2005 | 336 |
| 10 | 2004 | 320 |
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