Box office is off to a good start for 2012...
The Devil Inside, looks like the next Paranormal Activity from these results. Paramount kicked off their 100th year in film business with a strong debut from their horror flick. Earning an estimated $16.9 million on Friday, that blew past everyones' expectations, and based on horror films' tracking records over the past year, this was highly unexpected. However, audiences and critics have so far been slapping it with negative reception, with just 6% on Rotten Tomatoes and the average grade on CinemaScore being a discouraging "D+". That will likely make it front-loaded this weekend, so I'm guessing $32.5 million for the weekend.
The holdovers continued to see strong results. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol had a strong second place showing on Friday, with a 42% decline to an estimated $6.2 million, and based on word-of-mouth, it is set to gross $20 million for its' second weekend. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows also saw a strong hold in third, with a 44% ease to an estimated $4.3 million, and is heading for around $14 million for its' fourth weekend. Seeing the best hold out of any new release, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo eased 34% to an estimated $3.5 million, which is due to strong awards season buzz. The dark thriller is heading for $10.5 million on the weekend.
War Horse rounded out the Top 5 with a 44% ease to an estimated $2.6 million, and is heading for a $9 million weekend. We Bought A Zoo followed with a 48% drop to an estimated $2.4 million, and will also be heading for $9 million. Outside the holiday glow, the family films dropped the hardest. Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked was in seventh on Friday with a 68% depletion to an estimated $2.3 million, but with kids back in school, that was to be expected. It should take the fifth spot for the weekend with around $10 million for its' fourth weekend. The Adventures of Tintin dropped 61% to an estimated $1.7 million, and should see a similar jump to $7 million for the weekend.
After being in limited release for the last couple of weeks, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy got off to a solid start in just over 800 theaters, with an estimated $1.7 million, and will gross $5 million for the weekend. Rounding out the Top 10 is New Year's Eve, which despite the holiday being over, actually held a bit better than expected, with a 55% ease to an estimated $1.1 million, and is looking at a $3 million weekend.
Full weekend analysis coming tomorrow afternoon...
