Strong holdovers and decent-performing newcomers are guaranteeing this Thanksgiving to be the biggest one yet...
Following earning an estimated $7.45 million and $7.7 million on Wednesday and Thursday, Skyfall jumped a slightly less 92% to an estimated $14.75 million on Friday. The three-day tally is currently at roughly $30 million. Based on its' good word-of-mouth, Skyfall should see a similar trajectory as other adult-skewing films do over Thanksgiving weekend. The three-day weekend should find itself at $35.5 million, with the five-day estimate raised slightly to $51 million.
Following estimates of $4.2 million and $4.9 million over Wednesday and Thursday, Lincoln picked up in a huge way. The Oscar contender was up a remarkable 105% to an estimated $10 million, for a three-day tally of $19.1 million. Expect $24.5 million for the three-day weekend, and the five-day estimate has been raised to $33.5 million.
With families out in force on Black Friday, Rise of the Guardians did recover somewhat from its' lousy Wednesday-Thursday start. DreamWorks Animation's latest leaped an incredible 150% from Thursday to an estimated $9.3 million, or about double what Arthur Christmas earned on its' first Friday. One good note, Guardians' amazing jump is the biggest Thursday-Friday jump ever for a pre-Thanksgiving release, coming in ahead of Tangled's then-unheard of 142% Thursday-Friday jump. But Guardians is far from being out of disappointing territory. Adding in estimates of $4.85 million and $3.75 million on Wednesday and Thursday, and the three-day tally stands at just $17.8 million. With a strong "A" CinemaScore, Guardians should see the same number on Saturday before dropping on Sunday. Right now, I'm guessing $24 million for the three-day weekend, with the five-day estimate being raised to $33 million, and giving it a chance at taking third place from Lincoln.
Also impressing with family and mainstream audiences, Life of Pi was up a huge 97% to an estimated $8.9 million. After estimates of $3.7 million and $4.5 million on Wednesday and Thursday, the movie has earned an estimated $17.1 million in three days. With an "A-" CinemaScore and competition factored in, Pi should wind up with $22 million over the three-day weekend, with the five-day estimate raised to $30 million.
As shocking as this is, Guardians didn't see the biggest jump of all the movies. That honor goes to its' biggest competitor, Wreck-it Ralph, which found itself in sixth place on Friday. The animated hit lept a massive 170% to an estimated $6.8 million on Friday. That's much better than MegaMind's $5.25 million Friday, and a bit bigger than its' 158% Thursday-Friday jump. Keeping that films' trajectory in mind, Ralph is headed for a