The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Tuesday for the final figures based on actual box office.
James Cameron’s Avatar will soon sink Titanic‘s global record of $1.843 billion, as the 20th Century Fox release earned yet another $54.6 million domestically over the four-day holiday weekend, claiming first place for a fifth weekend in a row. The film has reached $505.1 million in North America and passed up the $500 million mark in just 32 days, a new record. That record was held by The Dark Knight, which reached the mark in 45 days, and Avatar is expected to surpass the The Dark Knight in total domestic box office ($533.3 million) as well next weekend to become the second-biggest title of all time behind Cameron’s own Titanic ($600.8 million). Avatar also set a new record for the biggest fifth weekend ever domestically, beating Titanic‘s $30 million by earning $41.3 million over the Friday-to-Sunday frame.
Internationally, Avatar earned $125 million from Friday to Sunday for a total of $1.115 billion (not counting Monday). The worldwide total has reached an amazing $1.64 billion already!
At the domestic box office, Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Book of Eli opened well in second place with an estimated $38 million for the four days from 3,111 theaters, a strong average of $12,221 per theater. It is Warner Bros.’ biggest January opening ever and also the biggest R-rated debut for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. It marks Denzel Washington’s second-best opening after 2007’s American Gangster ($43.6 million).
After playing in just a few theaters since December 11, Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones expanded to 2,563 theaters and earned $20.5 million from Friday through Monday for a total of $21 million. Made for about $100 million, the Paramount film is based on the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold.
In fourth place, Fox’s Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel collected another $15 million to bring its four-week total to $196 million.
Lionsgate’s new family action-comedy The Spy Next Door, starring Jackie Chan, rounded the top five with $13 million over the four days from 2,924 theaters.
In their fourth weekends, Warner Bros.’ Sherlock Holmes added $11.7 million in sixth place for a total of $181.9 million, while Universal’s It’s Complicated made $9.1 million for a total of $89.7 million.
Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.
