We have only one new nationwide release this weekend and it’s Paramount’s supernatural R-rated horror The Devil Inside. Meanwhile Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol should continue to lead the box office.
Usually after the holidays movies tend to fall 50% or so and I think this weekend will be no different. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will probably bring in another $15 million for a new 24 day total of $165 million, just $15 million shy of the 1996 original at the end of its run.
New entry The Devil Inside is fighting against Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows for 2nd place, both aiming for $11 million or so. The thing about The Devil Inside is it seems to have only cost $1 million to produce so this kind of opening will be a tremendous success for Paramount. On the other hand A Game of Shadows still has a lot of catching up to do. After 24 days it should be at $154 million where as the original Sherlock Holmes was at $180 million.
This time around I won’t forget The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 4th place with $10 million and probably $76 million after 19 days, definitely not bad on a $90 million budget. Finally the 3rd adventure of Alvin and his gang should round up the top 5 with $9 million for $111 million in 24 days.
It should be noted that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy goes wide today in 809 theaters and should crack the top 10 with $4 million or so after grossing $4.5 million so far in limited release since its December 9th opening.
Next week there are three new wide releases, actually two since technically the third is a re-issue, Beauty and the Beast 3D. Then there’s Universal’s Mark Wahlberg thriller Contraband and Warner Bros.’ musical Joyful Noise. This will probably be the last weekend we see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol on top.
