Holiday Weekend Box Office Report
King Kong lead the North American box office for a second weekend, leading a wide array of Christmas openings and film expansions even as overall ticket sales declined. Director Peter Jackson's "Kong" sold an estimated $31.4 million worth of tickets in the four days beginning Friday, taking its total to a modest $118.7 million after 12 days.
Because of the holiday season, movie industry observers are still not certain how to classify the performance of Universal Pictures' $207 million movie. After a slow start, it picked up steam last weekend, but was surpassed in subsequent days by the weekend's No. 2 movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. "It is forging its own pattern of performance, but it is doing sizable business every day," said Marc Shmuger, Vice Chairman of Universal studio. Walt Disney's "Chronicles of Narnia" held on to the No. 2 spot with $30.1 million, taking its total after 17 days to $163.5 million.
Two newcomers that opened on Wednesday grabbed the next two places: the Jim Carrey comedy remake Fun with Dick & Jane with $23.5 million for the four days, and the Steve Martin family comedy sequel Cheaper by the Dozen 2 with $14.8 million. Their respective totals stand at $31.1 million and $20.1 million.
The family comedy drama The Family Stone, starring Diane Keaton, fell two places to No. 5 with $10.9 million, taking its total to $30.1 million after 10 days. Overall ticket sales fell, according to tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. The top 12 films tallied $101.8 million for the three days beginning Friday, down 14 percent from the year-ago period, when Christmas fell on a Saturday and Meet the Fockers led the pack with a $46.1 million opening. Among the expansions this weekend was the period adaptation Memoirs of a Geisha, which rose six places to No. 6 with a solid $10.2 million in its third weekend.
The Special Olympics comedy The Ringer, starring Johnny Knoxville, opened at No. 7 with $8.4 million for the four days since Friday. Two movies that opened on Sunday grabbed the next two places: the Jennifer Aniston comedy Rumor Has It with $7.5 million and the horror film Wolf Creek with $5.9 million. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire rounded out the top tier, falling six places to No. 10 with $5.7 million.
Also new was Steven Spielberg's revenge saga Munich, set in the aftermath of the 1972 Olympics massacre. The Universal Pictures release opened at No. 11 with $5.7 million from just 572 theaters, about $20,000 behind "Harry Potter." Rankings could change when final data are issued on Tuesday. Munich opens nationwide on January 6.
Because of the holiday season, movie industry observers are still not certain how to classify the performance of Universal Pictures' $207 million movie. After a slow start, it picked up steam last weekend, but was surpassed in subsequent days by the weekend's No. 2 movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. "It is forging its own pattern of performance, but it is doing sizable business every day," said Marc Shmuger, Vice Chairman of Universal studio. Walt Disney's "Chronicles of Narnia" held on to the No. 2 spot with $30.1 million, taking its total after 17 days to $163.5 million.
Two newcomers that opened on Wednesday grabbed the next two places: the Jim Carrey comedy remake Fun with Dick & Jane with $23.5 million for the four days, and the Steve Martin family comedy sequel Cheaper by the Dozen 2 with $14.8 million. Their respective totals stand at $31.1 million and $20.1 million.
The family comedy drama The Family Stone, starring Diane Keaton, fell two places to No. 5 with $10.9 million, taking its total to $30.1 million after 10 days. Overall ticket sales fell, according to tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. The top 12 films tallied $101.8 million for the three days beginning Friday, down 14 percent from the year-ago period, when Christmas fell on a Saturday and Meet the Fockers led the pack with a $46.1 million opening. Among the expansions this weekend was the period adaptation Memoirs of a Geisha, which rose six places to No. 6 with a solid $10.2 million in its third weekend.
The Special Olympics comedy The Ringer, starring Johnny Knoxville, opened at No. 7 with $8.4 million for the four days since Friday. Two movies that opened on Sunday grabbed the next two places: the Jennifer Aniston comedy Rumor Has It with $7.5 million and the horror film Wolf Creek with $5.9 million. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire rounded out the top tier, falling six places to No. 10 with $5.7 million.
Also new was Steven Spielberg's revenge saga Munich, set in the aftermath of the 1972 Olympics massacre. The Universal Pictures release opened at No. 11 with $5.7 million from just 572 theaters, about $20,000 behind "Harry Potter." Rankings could change when final data are issued on Tuesday. Munich opens nationwide on January 6.
posted by The Hollywood Bureau at Monday, December 26, 2005
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