Without a single nationwide opener, this weekend’s box office Top 10 isn’t all that far off from last week’s. Some films moved up, some slid down, and some stayed right where they were. When you look at the per-screen averages, a few of the new indie titles proved to be the real winners.
Despite dropping another 60% from last weekend, ‘Breaking Dawn‘ held onto the #1 spot with $16.9 million, which brings its total gross to $247 million. ‘The Muppets‘ also held onto its #2 spot with $11.2 million. The $45 million movie has now earned more than $56 million domestically and is expected to become the highest grossing ‘Muppets’ movie to date.
Surprisingly, ‘Hugo‘ only declined 32.9% from its opening week and earned another $7.6 million. Earning the accolade “Best Film of the Year” by the National Board of Review may have given moviegoers an extra push to see it this weekend. ‘Hugo’ expanded to another 563 over the weekend and is expected to expand into even more during this coming weekend.
Of the new indie flicks, ‘Shame‘ proved to be a moving force. Despite the dreaded NC-17 rating, the film raked in $361,000 on only ten screens across the nation. ‘Sleeping Beauty‘ opened with a moderate $10,400 on only two screens. And ‘Pastorela‘ opened with a low $73,000 on 55 screens.
‘The Descendants‘ continues to climb up the Top 10. Now showing on an additional 184 screens, it rose from ninth place to seventh with $5.2 million, bringing its domestic total to $18 million.
Sony and Sony Pictures Classics expanded three of their older films, and each received notably high attendance. The eleven-week-old ‘Moneyball’ added 817 more screens and earned another $585,000. Nine-week-old ‘The Ides of March’ expanded to an additional 865 and brought in another $750,000. And 29-week-old ‘Midnight in Paris’ expanded to 264 new screens and earned another $275,000.
Top 10:
1. ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1’ (Summit) – $16,900,000
2. ‘The Muppets’ (Buena Vista) – $11,200,000
3. ‘Hugo’ (Paramount) – $7,625,000
4. ‘Arthur Christmas’ (Sony) – $7,350,000
5. ‘Happy Feet Two’ (Warner Bros.) – $6,000,000
6. ‘Jack and Jill’ (Sony) – $5,500,000
7. ‘The Descendants’ (Fox Searchlight) – $5,200,000
8. ‘Immortals’ (Relativity) – $4,394,000
9. ‘Tower Heist’ (Universal) – $4,100,000
10. ‘Puss in Boots’ (Paramount/DreamWorks) – $3,050,000
JM
‘Hugo’ cost $170M to make. After two weekends, it’s only at $25M?
‘The Muppets’ needs $110M to break even. It’s halfway at $60M.
‘Jack and Jill’ has now officially made more money than ‘Funny People.’
‘Immortals’ cost $75M, and has made $167M. 10% from Russia?!?
‘Moneyball’ just hit $100M. Please, Mr. Sorkin, write the Steve Jobs film.
‘In Time’ is a sleeper hit. $40M budget, it’s at $120M and still posing.
‘Shame’ proves that very few people want to see Carey Mulligan naked.
‘Midnight In Paris’ is at $135M and still kicking sophisticated ass.
‘The Artist’ cost $15M, it’s at $14M worldwide. When will it expand?
‘The Skin I Live In’ cost $14M, made $30M. Another sexy hit for Pedro!
Luke Hickman
AuthorBoth ‘The Artist’ and ‘The Skin I Live In’ are set to open wide(r) throughout December and the beginning of January. I’ve seen both and can vouch for awesomeness!
JM
Is ‘The Artist’ still the frontrunner for Best Picture?
Have you seen ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’?
Luke Hickman
AuthorI think ‘The Artist’ is definitely a contender. It’s on my list.
I HAVE seen Tinker Taylor, but can’t say a word about it until Friday. Within a week, I will have seen everything big with the exception of War Horse, The Darkest Hour and Ghost Protocol. Those screenings are next week.