Movies News
'Avatar' leads way as holiday box office breaks record
By Adnan Tezer Dec 29, 2009, 2:01 GMT
CATEGORY : Movies, DVD
SECTION: Reviews
LOCATION: Dallas, Texas
spent the last 5 years in Los Angeles as an
> actor/screenwriter. I gradauted with a Bachelor's in journalism from The
> University of Texas at Austin in 1999
The 2009 Christmas weekend broke the record for the biggest domestic box office weekend in history.
According to Variety, revenues for the weekend topped out at $280 million, beating the $260 million earned the weekend "The Dark Knight" opened in July 2008.
Domestic ticket sales for 2009 went past the $10 billion mark for the first time ever.
20th Century's 3D James Cameron film "Avatar" won the weekend in its second weekend of release with $75 million for a domestic cumulative of $212.3 million.
Warner Bros.' Robert Downey Jr.-Jude Law film "Sherlock Holmes," opened in second place with $65.4 million, which is a new record for a film opening on Christmas weekend. "Meet the Fockers" previously held the record at $46.2 million.
Fox’s "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" opened at No.3 as it enjoyed a five-day Christmas opening of $77.1 million that included $50.2 million over the weekend.
Universal's romantic comedy "It's Complicated" starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin came in at No. 4, opening to $22.1 million.
Paramount's George Clooney film "Up in the Air" came in No. 5 for the weekend, grossing $11.8 million for a domestic cumulative of $24.5 million.
