'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' rules the domestic movie chart, while 'The Wolf of Wall Street' is the highest opener among new releases over the busy holiday weekend.
- Dec 30, 2013
AceShowbiz - "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" stays strong at North American box office over the busy holiday weekend. At least five new releases rolled out in theaters this weekend, but none could shake off the sequel to 2012's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".
The second installment of the "Hobbit" film stays strong at No. 1 for three consecutive weekends with $29.9 million, bringing its domestic total to $190.3 million. It rakes in another $98.3 million overseas, pushing its foreign gross to $423.8 million and its global haul to $614.1 million.
The Peter Jackson-directed pic narrowly beats Disney's animation "Frozen (2013)" which follows closely at No. 2 with $28.8 million. For five days of Christmas showing, the Warner/MGM flick triumphs with $49.3 million while the latter is estimated to garner $44.3 million.
Though falling short of reclaiming the top spot, the movie voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel among others posts the second best showing of all time for a film in its sixth weekend placing behind "Avatar" ($34.9 million) and surpassing "Titanic" ($25.2 million).
The Mouse House's family-oriented pic has now grossed an estimated $248.3 million in North America and $491.9 million worldwide. In foreign markets, it also placed second for the weekend with an estimated $50.5 million, pushing its overseas total to $243.5 million.
"Anchorman: The Legend Continues" trades places with "Frozen". It sits at the third position with $20.2 million, falling 25|percent| from last weekend's opening. It brings its domestic total to $83.6 million, almost equaling the $85.3 million earned by the first film back in 2003. On top of that, it sails past the $100 million mark globally.
The highest debut this week, Paramount's "The Wolf of Wall Street", places behind Sony's "American Hustle" which stays at the fourth position with $19.6 million. The Leonardo DiCaprio starrer opens at No. 5 with $18. 5 million for the weekend and takes in $34.3 million for five-day debut.
Ben Stiller's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", a revamped adaptation of James Thurber's 1939 short story, starts at the seventh place with $13 million. The Fox feature film closely follows Disney's "Saving Mr. Banks" which settles at the sixth place with $14M.
Mega-budgeted "47 Ronin" about a group of real-life samurai in the 18th century Japan tanks at the box office debuting with only $9.9 million for the weekend and $20.6 million for the five-day showing. Universal is expected to take an estimated $175 million write-off on the $200M-budgeted Keanu Reeves starrer.
"Grudge Match" and Justin Bieber's second concert documentary "Justin Bieber's Believe" fare even worse. The movie starring Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone finishes at No. 11 with $7.3 million and earns a weak $13 million since Christmas Day.
Bieber's movie opens with a mere $2 million over the weekend and $4.5 million in its first five days, a far cry of his first doc "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" which debuted $29.5 million in 2011. It replaces "Katy Perry: Part of Me" as the worst opener among the recent slate of concert documentaries featuring young artists. Thankfully, the Jon M. Chu-directed pic only cost $5M to produce and another $5M to market.
- "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" - $29.9 million
- "Frozen (2013)" - $28.8 million
- "Anchorman: The Legend Continues" - $20.2 million
- "American Hustle" - $19.6 million
- "The Wolf of Wall Street" - $18. 5 million
- "Saving Mr. Banks" - $14 million
- "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" - $13 million
- "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" - $10.2 million
- "47 Ronin" - $9.9 million
- "A Madea Christmas" - $7.4 million
