Unlike the decline that's been seen over the last few years, January 2012 did significantly higher business than what anyone was expecting. Four films released this month grossed around $20 million or more for their opening weekends (all opening on top), and six films released this month opened to around $18 million or higher. January 2012's total gross is estimated to be at $830 million, up 9% from January 2011's $753.8 million (and a 20-year low in attendance), but down 22% from 2010's record $1.06 billion and down 18% from 2009's $1.01 billion.
Usually, a holdover from the Christmas season tops January. And that was the case this year as Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol earned $80.8 million (estimated) over the month, adding to its' already impressive $203 million (estimated) total. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, another Christmas holdover, ranked second for the month with $58.7 million (estimated), adding to its' also already impressive total of $182.7 million (estimated) since its' opening back in mid-December.
The top-grossing January release was Mark Wahlberg's Contraband, which including holdovers from Christmas slotted in third place with $57.7 million (estimated) since its' opening two weeks ago. The crime drama is performing above expectations and is heading for about $70 million by the time its' done.
Horror flick The Devil Inside posted January 2012's highest-grossing opening weekend ($33.7 million, also in the Top 5 for all-time highest January debuts), but was despised by audiences and ended up with $53 million (estimated) since its' opening three weeks ago, ranking fourth for the month overall (including holdovers from Christmas). The film will likely gross about a couple million more before closing.
Christmas holdover and dark thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo rounded out the Top 5 for January with $48.3 million (estimated) and a total of $98.7 million (estimated) since its' opening five weeks ago. The film is set to cross the $100 million barrier next week.
Not including Christmas holdovers, third place among the month's releases would go to the two-week old Underworld: Awakening, which had posted $47.2 million (estimated) since its' opening 12 days ago. That is the Underworld franchise's highest-grossing 12-day earnings to date, and will likely close ahead of Evolution's $62 million domestic gross. It also is on the high-end of expectations.
Disney's 3D re-release of Beauty and the Beast slotted in fourth place among the month's releases with $41.8 million (estimated) in 19 days of release. That's a little over half of Lion King's $75 million gross over the second half of September, but its' still nonetheless impressive as its' opening weekend claimed the opening weekend record for a animated film released in January. The classic's lifetime gross is up to $215 million and the re-release should close just north of $50 million, a bit above expectations.
Rounding out the Top 5 for the month's releases was George Lucas' war drama Red Tails, which had earned $35.2 million (estimated) through 12 days of release, already way above expectations. As of now, the film is headed for a finish between $50 and $60 million.
Excluding the new releases, War Horse ($39.7 million) and Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked ($39.1 million) (both estimated), rounded out the Top 5 for Christmas holdovers.
