1 December 2008 10:28 AM, PST | Studio Briefing - Film News | See recent Studio Briefing - Film News news »
Twilight's gleaming didn't last long. The film, which astonished box-office analysts by opening with nearly $70 million a week ago, fell to third place with just $26.4 million over the three-day weekend and $39.5 million for the holiday period starting on Wednesday. The big winner was Four Christmases, which also surprised analysts by taking in an estimated $31.7 million for the Friday-Sunday weekend and $46.7 million from Wednesday. In second place was Disney's animated comedy Bolt, with $26.6 million for the three-day weekend and $36 million for the five-day frame. In limited release, Milk, starring Sean Penn as San Francisco gay activist Harvey Milk, opened in 36 theaters, averaged $52,000 in each. (Four Christmases averaged $14,000 per theater.) Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire averaged $36,000 in each of its 49 theaters in its second week. Overall, ticket sales were up 3.7 percent over the comparable weekend a year ago to $236 million from $227.6 million, according to box office trackers Media by Numbers.
The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers:1. Four Christmases, $31.7 million; 2. Bolt, $26.6 million; 3. Twilight, $26.4 million; 4. Quantum of Solace, $19.5 million; 5. Australia, $14.8 million; 6. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, $14.5 million; 7. Transporter 3, $12.3 million; 8. Role Models, $5.3 million; 9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, $1.7 million; 10. Milk, $1.4 million. »
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