The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II led once again on Thursday, but did take a bit of a hit due to the usually at-home turkey holiday. The finale fell 37% to an estimated $8.1 million on Thursday, which is slightly steeper than its' predecessor. With $20.9 million in two days, the finale is currently $1 million ahead of Part 1's two-day early total ($19.9 million). With its' predecessors' trajectory in mind, Part II should bring in $18-$19 million on Friday, and around $45 million for the three-day portion of the weekend. The five-day estimate is up slightly to $65 million.
Skyfall, on the other hand, was up a scant 3% from Wednesday to an estimated $7.7 million, for a two-day total of $15.2 million. That's a remarkable Thanksgiving Day performance. Friday's number should bump up to as much as $15 million, and the three-day weekend should wind up at $35 million, with the five-day estimate being raised to $50 million.
Jumping up to third place on Thursday, Lincoln was up an impressive 16% to an estimated $4.9 million, for a $9.1 million two-day tally. Friday could go as high as $10 million, but it might be a bit less. The three-day weekend itself should be between $20-$25 million, with the five-day holiday north of $30 million. The estimate currently is at $31.5 million, a strong performance.
Life of Pi saw a remarkable jump on Thursday as well, up 23% from Wednesday's impressive gross to an estimated $4.5 million (Wednesday was $3.7 million), for a $8.2 million two-day tally. Pi should jump up to $8-$9 million on Friday, on its' way to a three-day weekend of about $20 million. The five-day estimate has been raised to $28.5 million.
Family movies usually are hit the hardest on Thanksgiving Day, as families opt to stay home on Turkey Day. Rise of the Guardians continued to disappoint, finding itself in the fifth spot on Thursday and dropping 23% to an estimated $3.7 million, for a $8.6 million two-day tally. That's twice the amount Arthur Christmas had roped in (and the Wed.-Thurs. drop was the same), but only two-thirds of what The Muppets had earned in the same time ($12.5 million). With an "A" CinemaScore, there's an off-chance Guardians does have a better-than-average jump on Friday, but I think it will probably come up short of $8 million on Friday, on its' way to $22 million for the three-day and just $30.5 million for the five-day.
Red Dawn also dipped 23% to an estimated $3.2 million, for a two-day total of $7.4 million. Friday's tally should be at around $6 million, with a five-day tally estimated to be at $21.5 million, down slightly from yesterday's estimate.
Wreck-it Ralph got hit the hardest, down 33% to an estimated $2.5 million for a $6.2 million two-day total. Ralph should see around $5 million on Friday, with its' five-day estimate lowered to $18.5 million.
A Thursday estimate for The Silver Linings Playbook is not available, so it is left out of the list today.
Here is the projected Top 10 as of Thursday's grosses:
#1: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part II ($44.1 million 3-day/$65 million 5-day)
#2: Skyfall ($35 million 3-day/$50.2 million 5-day)
#3: Lincoln ($23 million 3-day/$32.1 million 5-day)
#4: Rise of the Guardians ($22 million 3-day/$30.6 million 5-day)
#5: Life of Pi ($20.3 million 3-day/$28.5 million 5-day)
#6: Red Dawn ($14.1 million 3-day/$21.5 million 5-day)
#7: Wreck-It Ralph ($12.3 million 3-day/$18.5 million 5-day)
#8: Flight ($6 million 3-day/$8.7 million 5-day)
#9: Argo ($2.8 million 3-day/$4 million 5-day)
