Happy holiday at box office

Businesses at the nation’s shopping malls were probably grateful for the crowds of potential customers that anchor-tenant multiplexes attracted over the Christmas holiday weekend.

Attendance was reportedly up nearly 8 percent over the same weekend a year ago, as several of the top films exceeded analysts’ expectations — by a lot. “It’s a very strong finish to the year,” Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Media By Numbers, told the Associated Press.

Twentieth Century Fox’s Marley & Me led with an astonishing $51.7 million for the four-day holiday and $37.0 million between Friday and Sunday, according to studio estimates.

Paramount’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button came in second for the four-day weekend with about $39 million and $27.0 million for the three-day weekend.

Disney’s Bedtime Stories finished third with 38.6 million from Thursday to Sunday and $28.1 million from Friday to Sunday.

Yet another surprise was the solid ticket sales for MGM-UA’s Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise, which several analysts had predicted would bomb. Instead it raked in $30.0 million for the holiday and $21.5 million for the weekend.

One film did perform just as poorly as analysts had predicted, the critically derided The Spirit from Lionsgate. It grossed about $10.4 million for the four days and $6.5 million for the three.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers
1. Marley & Me , $37 million;
2. Bedtime Stories, $28.1 million;
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, $27 million;
4. Valkyrie, $21.5 million;
. Yes Man, $16.5 million;
6. Seven Pounds, $13.4 million;
7. The Tale of Despereaux, $9.4 million;
8. The Day the Earth Stood Still, $7.9 million;
9. The Spirit, $6.5 million;
10. Doubt , $5.7 million.

(Source: ContactMusic)

Tom Cruise’s fact-based thriller “Valkyrie,” about a failed plot to kill Adolf Hitler, opened at No. 4 with $21.5 million for the weekend and $30 million for the four days — much better than skeptics had predicted. The United Artists movie has been plagued by bad publicity and shifting release dates.

“We had obstacles to overcome,” said Erik Lomis, head of worldwide distribution at the studio’s closely held Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer parent. “But the movie speaks for itself.”

(Source: Reuters)

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