Scaring a whopping $33.7
million from moviegoers, the starless $1-miilion exorcism thriller The Devil Inside easily took the number
one spot over a slew of Christmas leftovers – good enough for the third largest
January debut of all time. The
Even the most optimistic projections had The Devil Inside peaking in the low $20 millions, but it took nearly that amount on Friday alone. Suffering from horrendous word of mouth (and a rare ‘F’ CinemaScore) it steadily declined across the next two days. However, the damage has been done and just one week into January, we could have already witnessed the most profitable film of the year.
The Top Ten
1. The Devil Inside - $33.7M (weekend)…$33.7M (gross)
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of
Shadows - $13.7M…$157.0M
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- $11.7M…$76.9M
6. War Horse - $8.7M…$56.9M
7. We Bought a Zoo -
$8.3M…$56.9M
8. The Adventures of Tintin -
$6.7M…$62.0M
9. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy -
$5.5M…$10.1M
10. The Darkest Hour -
$3.1M…$18.7M
Still going gangbusters in second was Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, which in its fourth week collected another $19.8 million, which brings its domestic total to a stellar $169.5 million. This four-quel very much has a chance to pass the $215.4 million of
The early-year hot streak should continue to some extent next weekend as three new movies enter the market all targeting different audiences. Musical Joyful Noise should perform well with faith-based crowds when it enters 2,700 showings, the 3D re-release of Beauty and the Beast should play favorably to families sick of singing rodents in 2,500 cinemas, and action flick Contraband should steal the attention of teens on 2,750 screens.