Without the hazards of northeast blizzards, Avatar, along with Sherlock Holmes and the sequel to Alvin and the Chipmunks, performed extremely well during a huge $263 million three-day weekend that was the largest ever for the U.S. box office.
James Cameron’s Avatar dropped off 3-percent from last week’s handicapped $77 million debut and earned another $75 million over the Christmas break, to not only squeak <snicker> past the opening of Sherlock Holmes, but to bring the 3D film to $212.3 million.
This weekend’s record breaking box office take trumped North America’s reigning biggest weekend from July 18-20, which premiered the Warner Bros. sensation, The Dark Knight, with $253.6 million.
Thanks to Avatar playing on mostly 3D screens, which also helps boost the film’s box office take with a higher priced ticket sales, the film left ample room for a good ol’ 2D movie to earn some money.
Robert Downey Jr.’s latest potential franchise, Sherlock Holmes, opened to the tune of $65.4 million for the No. 2 spot, beating projections by over $5 million. The Guy Ritchie film was the second biggest opening ever for a film that didn’t arrive at No. 1 at the weekend box office. In 2004, The Day After Tomorrow opened with $68.7 million, but was held up by DreamWork’s Shrek 2.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel finished with $50.2 million (fourth best for a film that didn’t score No. 1) with a total gross of $77.1 million. Fox projected only $30 million for the long weekend.
“When the third-place movie is at $50 million, it’s usually a pretty good sign that you’re going to break some records,” noted Chris Aronson, executive VP of distribution for Fox.
Here’s your North American top ten:
1. Avatar ($75.0 million)
2. Sherlock Holmes ($65.4 million)
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Sqeakquel ($50.2 million)
4. It’s Complicated ($22.1 million)
5. Up in the Air ($11.8 million)
6. The Blind Side ($11.8 million)
7. Princess and the Frog ($8.7 million)
8. Nine ($5.4 million)
9. Did You Hear About the Morgans? ($5.0 million)
10. Invictus ($4.4 million)
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I'm no box office analyst but, isn't this just because of Avatar's ridiculously high price tickets because it mostly being shown as either 3D, or 3D Imax? Everyone keeps talking about how much Avatar has made so far, but I don't believe the number would be anywhere near as high if the tickets weren't so expensive.
What the…are you saying 'Avatar' ain't all that? <snap><snap> The legion of Avatards will have your ass for that one.
Hahaha Avatards! No, I haven't even seen it yet. I want to see it before the end of the week, but I'm going to have to take out a mortgage just to buy a ticket to see it in 3D Imax.
It can up add up for us working class stiffs.
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