'Sherlock Holmes' Takes Christmas Day Box-Office Crown, but Just Barely
'Avatar' remains a close second
Variety has the early Friday box-office estimates and Sherlock Holmes jumps out to the lead for the three-day weekend with $24.9 million at 3,626 venues. The film, however, took that leading position by just a hair as Fox's Avatar remains a close second with $23.5 million after playing in 3,456 theaters bringing it's domestic tally to $160.8 million after eight days in theaters.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel gives Fox a second and third place finish as it rolled in with $14.5 million in its third day. The film is doing rather well after earning $26.8 million in its first two days after opening the Wednesday before Christmas.
In the fourth slot is Nancy Meyers's latest romp with Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. It's Complicated earned $7.1 million in 2,887 theaters. Coming in fifth was Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (a film I watched again this week) with $3.7 million from 1,895 theaters as the film finally reached "wide release" status, but as you can see it is still working with almost one thousand fewer theaters than It's Complicated.
It would seem Laremy's predictions may end up a little low and the battle at the top spot will be of particular importance as he predicted Avatar would be the holiday weekend king with $52.8 million, followed by Sherlock. Will word-of-mouth by kind to Holmes, or will Avatar over take it this weekend? Laremy will be here Sunday with a full recap, but first here are those top five estimates once again:
- Sherlock Holmes – $24.9 million
- Avatar – $23.5 million
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel – $14.5 million
- It's Complicated – $7.1 million
- Up in the Air – $3.7 million
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does this mean AVATAR might have one of the lowest big budget drops off all time, at that rate it could make another 70 million this weekend
Oh I totally called Holmes having a shot at 70 million this weekend.
But it's not even sunday
25 mill on a Friday though, it'll be close, and not many people predicted more than 40 or 50 million for it.
Com'n Avatar! I picked you for the win!
It's the 7th inning stretch. Let's get a rally going. We still have time to put the comeback.
@PinstripedJon:
Boxofficeguru has Avatar projected for 76-80mill for the weekend after friday's results. They have Holmes projected for 72-75mill
HOLMES
Fri: $24.9mil
Sat: $26.7mil (+7.5%). It's its opening weekend. Saturday rises are never as nice for opening films, however good the WOM.
Sun: $20.1 (-25%). Most films on the Christmas weekend fall 25% on Sunday, no matter what the genre or target audience.
TOTAL: $71,700,000
AVATAR
Fri: $23.5mil
Sat: $31.3mil (+33%). I may be going hard on it here. LOTR3 increased more the day after Christmas, and so far Avatar has been holding better. Also, the last time Christmas fell on a Friday (admittedly 1998), the two movies in their second weeks ("You've Got Mail" and "Prince of Egypt") both rose over 45%.
Sun: $23.4mil (-25%).
TOTAL: $78,200,000
I'll say that the weekend is likely to go to Avatar. And boy, what a weekend! And damn, what a hold for Avatar! Most decidedly the best for any film that opening to more than $50mil!
I just found out that Avatar is going to win this weekend let’s hope that happens as it turns out that way only.THIS XMAS WEEKEND BIGGEST EVER! ‘Avatar’ Back On Top For #1 Saturday By Beating ‘Sherlock Holmes’; ‘Squeakquel’ #3.
Read this article.
http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/first-look-alvin-2-beats-avatar/
The only reason Sherlock Holmes won is because avatar was sold out in most theaters.