Weekend Wrap-Up and Holiday Schedule

December 30, 2013

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug poster

Some studios are still closed and won't open till this time next week, so we won't have all of the final numbers for the past two weeks till then. We do have some final numbers, as well as some studio estimates that we can look at now. As for the upcoming week, it will look a lot like last week in terms of stories. We won't have a per theater chart, we might have an international top ten, while prediction, contest, and limited releases will be mostly normal. We might even have a review this weekend. (That's assuming some of the late screeners finally arrive, because at the moment I have nothing to review.)

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug held onto first place with an estimated $29.85 million, which is a little better than expected. It now has $190.30 million and could finish with $250 million in the end.

Frozen was also a little better than anticipated earning $28.60 million over the weekend. So far the film has earned $248.12 million after a month of wide release and one week of limited release. It still has a chance at $300 million, which is more than enough to ensure profitability.

Anchorman: The Legend Continues fell 25% to $20.15 million over the weekend. This was the sharpest decline in the top ten and is steeper than anticipated. That said, its 12-day running tally was $82.66 million, so it should have no trouble getting to $100 million shortly, which is enough to cover its reported $50 million production budget.

American Hustle grabbed fourth place with $19.55 million over the weekend for a total of $60.04 million after 17 days of release. Amazing reviews and Awards Season success should help it stick around a while and $100 million is an easy target.

The Wolf of Wall Street was the best of the new releases, but it only managed fifth place with $18.51 million over the weekend for a total opening of $34.30 million. Its reviews are great, but the reaction from moviegoers has not been. If it picks up some major awards, then it might have good legs. Otherwise, it might start to fade from the charts.

Saving Mr. Banks slipped to sixth place with $13.45 million over the weekend for a total of $37.38 million. This is more than it cost to make and it is doing relatively well during Awards Season, so it should have better than average legs. If it can top $100 million worldwide, then it will break even sometime during its initial push onto the home market.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty missed expectations, as did most movies, earning $12.77 million over the weekend for a total opening of $25.36 million. Mixed reviews and a reported $90 million production budget add to the bad news for this film.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was one of the few films to beat expectations earning eighth place with $10.06 million over the weekend for a total of $390.99 million after more than a month of release. It could get to $400 million by this time next week and overtaking Iron Man 3 for top spot for the year is still within reach.

47 Ronin only pulled in $9.91 million over the weekend for a total opening of $20.61 million. This film earned some of the worst reviews of the month and will fade from theaters before earning a fraction of its $225 million production budget.

Grudge Match rounded out the top ten with $7.31 million over the weekend for a total opening of $13.44 million. It wasn't the worst film to open on Christmas day, but that's hardly a compliment.

Walking With Dinosaurs fell out of the top ten during its sophomore stint with $7.28 million over the weekend for a total of $20.94 million after two. It will be all but forgotten by the time it reaches the home market.

Justin Bieber's Believe did even worse earning 14th place with $2.01 million in 1,037 theaters over the weekend for a total opening of just $4.27 million. Its reviews are mixed, but it won't matter, as theater owners will be looking to drop this film as soon as they are contractually able to.


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Filed under: Weekend Estimates, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, 47 Ronin, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Wolf of Wall Street, Frozen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Walking with Dinosaurs, Saving Mr. Banks, Grudge Match, American Hustle