Merry Xmas in Hollywood: Box-office record falls
It was a memorable and merry Christmas in Hollywood as moviegoers shattered box-office records, responding in droves to a diverse array of high-profile releases over the holiday weekend.
The estimated $278 million in weekend box-office revenue broke the previous record of roughly $253 million set in July 2008, the weekend “The Dark Knight” was released.
A diverse group of films drew throngs to the multiplexes: James Cameron’s “Avatar” pushed strongly into its second week while “Sherlock Holmes,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” and “It’s Complicated” all opened.
“Avatar,” the 3-D epic, topped them all, earning $75 million for 20th Century Fox, according to studio estimates Sunday. Remarkably, that was only a 3 percent drop from its opening weekend total of $77.4 million. (Blockbusters typically drop 30-50 percent in the second weekend.) In its 10 days of release, “Avatar” has made $212 million domestically — and could be on its way to a worldwide gross of over $1 billion.
“This thing is going to be playing and playing, I can tell you that,” said Bert Livingston, 20th Century Fox distribution executive. “There’s a lot of business out there. Everybody’s got good movies out.”
In second was “Sherlock Holmes,” Guy Ritchie’s reboot of the franchise with Robert Downey Jr. starring as Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective. The Warner Bros. film opened with a weekend total of $65.4 million, including a record Christmas Day debut of $24.9 million.
It was a start that seemed sure to pave the way for sequels. Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., called the result “sensational.”
“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” which opened Wednesday, took in $50.2 million on the weekend and $77.1 million in its five days of release. The film, also from Fox, earned an impressive $18.8 million on Wednesday alone. The strong start suggested that “Squeakquel” was likely to surpass its 2007 original, which made $217 million.
Also opening was Nancy Meyer’s “It’s Complicated,” the romantic comedy starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. With an audience 72 percent female, the Universal film took in $22.1 million, a solid debut.
The sparkling Christmas weekend results spelled good things for all the films in release in the coming week — one of the most lucrative of the year.
“We all know what next week means to the industry. This is … huge,” said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. “Christmas is past us. No more shopping, no more returning. College kids are home. … I’m so optimistic about what the next weekend holds for us.”
Said Livingston: “Starting this Monday, every day is a Saturday.”
Two films with Oscar aspirations also released wide over the weekend: Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air” (Paramount) and Rob Marshall’s “Nine” (Weinstein Co.).
“Up in the Air,” which has some of the best awards momentum, grossed $11.8 million, bringing its cumulative total to $24.5 million — already nearly earning back its production budget.
“For us, this movie was always the movie that we felt was going to be a real focus during the awards season,” said Rob Moore, Paramount vice chairman. “It feels like this should have a long run as awards season continues.”
“Nine,” the adaptation of the Broadway musical (which itself was a riff of Federico Fellini’s classic film “8 1/2″) earned $5.5 million in 1408 theaters.
“It’s an absolutely fitting end to the biggest box office year of all time,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. “It’s just been a total roller coaster ride. It’s like audience members are on board.”
2009 still has several days to go, but the year is already a record for domestic ticket sales with more than $10 billion at the box office. That surpassed the $9.7 billion mark of 2007.
While some of the credit has to go the recession (movies historically do well in hard times when a trip to the movie theater is a relatively cheap form of entertainment and escapism), there was a feeling Sunday that Hollywood had put forth a better product this Christmas.
“People say it’s the recession,” said Dergarabedian. “It’s the movies — it’s really the movies. It seems like when people aren’t at home, they’re at the movies.”
He added: “You’re going to find a smile on the face of every studio chief out there today.”
Hollywood also seemed to be offering good ol’ spectacle to moviegoers. “Avatar” grossed $8.8 million in IMAX theaters, actually increasing from its opening weekend. IMAX chairman and president Greg Foster said they were operating essentially at capacity.
“There is no context,” said Foster. “It’s so far beyond where we’ve ever been. It’s not eking past a record, it’s shattering it.”
Christmas weekend was also neatly organized around various demographics. There was science-fiction, romantic comedy, family fare, action-packed thriller and serious awards-contender.
“That’s what fueled this Christmas, the diversity of the films,” said Dergarabedian. “It was like a cinematic buffet line. If you can’t find a movie that you like in the marketplace right now, you don’t like movies.”
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. “Avatar” $75 million.
2. “Sherlock Holmes” $65.4 million.
3. “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” $50.2 million.
4. “It’s Complicated” $22.1 million.
5. “Up in the Air” $11.8 million.
6. “The Blind Side” $11.7 million.
7. “The Princess and the Frog” $8.7 million.
8. “Nine” $5.5 million.
9. “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” $5 million.
10. “Invictus” $4.4 million.
OK this is making pretty good sense to me now dude!
I had to suffer through Alvin and the Chipmunks this weekend. I can’t believe I contributed money to that movie.
Of course! Holiday movies are big money sources for developers.
Alvin and the Chipmunks is one of the most anticipated movie this year.. They made a great movie… thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…
They made a great movie… thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…Just stunning!!
They made a great movie… thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…
Really awesome movie.thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…
I can’t believe I contributed money to that movie. .thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie
Christmas weekend was also neatly organized.There was science-fiction, romantic comedy, family fare, action-packed thriller and serious awards-contender.
Awesome ,i like so much this type of movies , thanks to every budy who give their efforts to make this movie.I would like to appreciate the producer to make another movie…..
It was like a cinematic buffet line. If you can’t find a movie that you like in the marketplace right now, you don’t like movies
there to fantastic movies for making christmas more enjoyable and lovely
“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” which opened Wednesday, took in $50.2 million on the weekend and $77.1 million in its five days of release…..
Its amazing,isn’t it…
I always wait to see a such type of movie,everything is perfect story,characters,dressing,make up and promotion time of movie.Holidays are a best time for this type of movei.
Ok, it’s sad but true. We live in a very hectic culture. When people take the time and give the money to see a movie, they trust the movie industry’s ratings for the most part. What gain does the movie industry have by “trapping” their audience and then forcing an extremely low moral code into their faces? I’ve had to walk out on two movies. The most recent was Nine. This time I had a child of 13 with me and I almost threw up when I saw how completely morally criminal the movie was! Children are involved in a scene that is pornographic or at least meant to be. The movie industry and their rating system cannot be trusted. I don’t know what can be done about this, but if there is a group out there who wants to protect consumer adults and consumer children by forming a family values rating system, ABC, please let the public know.hope future will be bright
Very nice post….It feels like this should have a long run as awards season continues.
I think this movie was always the movie that we felt was going to be a real focus during the awards season
The movie industry and their rating system cannot be trusted. I don’t know what can be done about this.
They made a great movie… thanks to all the characters and production crew.
The sparkling Christmas weekend results spelled good things for all the films.
I think If you can’t find a movie that you like in the marketplace right now, then you don’t like movies
ok it happens ups and down are part of every business hope that the next coming years would be a massive hit for hollywood
They made a great movie… thanks to all the characters and production crew.
It’s just been a total roller coaster ride. It’s like audience members are on board.
I think this is one of the amazing movie .Thanks to all the characters Who worked hard to produce this great movie…..
this movie was always the movie that we felt was going to be a real focus during the awards season
celebrating christmas with superhit movies is fantastic so there should be well thoughtout plan to make and flourish the movies in this occasions where people are free
It was really kinda work that should be lauded……a whole-hearted thnxx to the actors and the production crew……
The production crew as well the actors should get accolade because their work was indeed praiseworthy!!!!!!! GREAT POST……
I would like to appreciate the producer to make another movie…..
Really it is a great movie…all the characters were superb i really enjoyed this movie ,The have done a hard job to create this movie…I would like to appreciate them to make another movie.
Really awesome movie.thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…HATS OFF….
It is very nice that “Avatar” pushed strongly into its second week.
That’s Really nice movie…thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this great movie…
Amazing Article was really pretty interesting… thanks for this informations. its really works so hard..!!! i like so much this type of movies , thanks to every budy who give their efforts to make this movie.I would like to appreciate the producer to make another movie…..
Its was Really awesome movie.thanks to all the characters and production crew that worked hard to produce this good movie…Great job done.GOOD LUCK…