Still from Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shaows |
As expected, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, a sequel in the Franchise, not so mysteriously debuts on-top with $40 million at the Box Office. Of course, this isn't quite as strong as its 2009 opening with $62.3 million but that had the benefit of opening on Christmas Day for Warner Bros.
Opening in second is Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked with $23.5 million for 20th Century Fox, again distantly trailing its Franchise predecessor from 2009 which earned $48.8 million. The lack of Family Comedies over the next bit fares well for this one.
Paramount Pictures' Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, filmed partly in Vancouver, has a strong limited opening, showing only in IMAX at 425 theatres with $13.3 million but as pointed out by Nikki Finke at Deadline, this was boosted much by its Thursday night opening and the help of a much-hyped six-minute Warner Bros.' Dark Knight Rises Preview beforehand, which unfortunately that Studio wasn't able to secure with its own Sherlock Holmes. Also, the increased Ticket Prices for IMAX Movies (approximately $4 more than a Regular Ticket), also inflates its opening numbers somewhat.
New Year's Eve, the Star-spangled Rom-Com slips to fourth spot with $7.4 million for Warner Bros. after a tepid debut last weekend, again ahead of The Sitter in fifth with $4.4 million.
Young Adult from Paramount Pictures, from the same team which brought us Juno, debuts in 986 theatres with $3.5 million, while The Descendants is going strong still in only 878 theatres with $3.5 million. To-date, the George Clooney Oscar Vehicle has brought-in $28 million, but on a side note, it was made for about $20 million which is rather expensive for an Indie Film.