The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.
Screen Gems’ Underworld Awakening topped the box office with an estimated $25.4 million from 3,078 theaters, an average of $8,252 per theater. The fourth installment beat the opening of the last film, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, which earned $20.7 million in January of 2009. The first film, Underworld, debuted to $21.8 million and was followed with Underworld: Evolution‘s $26.9 million. Starring Kate Beckinsale, “Awakening” was made for about $70 million.
Performing better than expectations, Lucasfilm’s Red Tails debuted in second place to $19.1 million from 2,512 theaters. Produced by George Lucas, the film stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard and was produced for $58 million.
Last week’s champ, Universal’s Contraband dropped to third place and 49.9% in ticket sales. The action thriller, starring Mark Wahlberg and Beckinsale, has grossed $46.1 million after two weeks. It was made for $25 million.
Warner Bros. expanded Stephen Daldry’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close into 2,630 theaters where it collected $10.5 million. The big screen adaptation, starring Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock and Thomas Horn, has earned $11.2 million since opening in limited theaters on Christmas Day.
Steven Soderbergh’s new thriller Haywire rounded out the top five with $9 million from 2,439 theaters, an average of $3,690. The $23 million-budgeted Relativity Media release stars Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, Bill Paxton, Michael Douglas and Michael Angarano.
In sixth place, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 3D added another $8.6 million for a total of $33.4 million after two weeks, while WB’s Joyful Noise took seventh with $6.1 million for a total of $21.9 million after two weeks.
The next three spots belonged to the popular holiday releases, with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol earning $5.5 million and pushing its total to $197.3 million, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows adding $4.8 million and bringing its total to $178.6 million, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo taking $3.8 million for a total of $94.8 million.
Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.
