Jim Carrey, or rather a performance-capture CGI version of the actor, delivered enough holiday spirit to snatch the top spot at the box office on Friday, according to early estimates. Disney’s A Christmas Carol, director Robert Zemeckis’ animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novella, grossed $9 million on its first day. By comparison, the last major family film, Where the Wild Things Are, ate up $12.1 million its opening day, but Carol should have much sturdier legs in the upcoming weeks. Carol‘s total is also slightly less than the opening gross of Zemeckis’ prior performance-capture flick, Beowulf, which slew $10 million back in 2007.
Second place went to the Milla Jovovich horror film The Fourth Kind, which abducted $5 million from moviegoers’ wallets. The Men Who Stare at Goats, the wacky war comedy starring George Clooney, earned $4.6 million — the best debut ever for a movie with “goat” in its title. Michael Jackson’s This Is It displayed some staying power, dropping a respectable 47 percent for $4.2 million. And fifth place was a tie between two horror movies: the new Cameron Diaz release The Box and the holdover phenomenon Paranormal Activity. Early figures had both films at $2.9 million.
In limited release, the Oscar-hopeful drama Precious grossed $585,000 from 18 theaters for an exceptional per-screen average of $32,500. Friday’s figures are below, and check back here on Sunday for the complete box office report.
1. A Christmas Carol — $9.0 mil
2. The Fourth Kind — $5.0 mil
3. The Men Who Stare at Goats — $4.6 mil
4. Michael Jackson’s This Is It — $4.2 mil
5. The Box — $2.9 mil
5. Paranormal Activity — $2.9 mil
Still waiting for the only movie of the upcoming holiday season to arrive….AVATAR!!!!
Twilight Sucks!!
haha your loser.
Whether you like it or not, New Moon is gonna own the box office… So in two weeks when it has completely taken over. Don’t be surprised.
Exactly. And then we’ll hear for weeks after how hot Taylor Lautner is–which he isn’t.
Truth hurts. I wouldn’t kick him out of bed….as soon as he turns 18.
Better than the original movie!!! Jim Carrey turns out a delightful, nuanced performance.
Which original movie are you talking about? There have been over 20 screen and TV adaptations of Dickens’ story.
Ya know! The one with the muppets, LOL.
haha, you problem haven’t even seen one of the original movies. If you had then you wouldn’t have made that comment. Because i’d say this CG version is at the bottom of the pile.
Taylor is HOOTT!!!
Uh, no he isn’t. Sorry, tween.
He is ! And I’m not teen.
F Twilight! It sucks!!!
I’m not a fan of Twilight, but a comment like this just comes across as really immature.
Also, Twilight wasn’t mentioned in the article, so by mentioning it, you are just further proving that it literally is everywhere.
No, it was mentioned in one of the comments. And Twilight does indeed suck.
Sorry James but Twilight the book DOESN’T SUCK. The movie just a little but people need to stop hating and let the fans enjoy it.
Edward Cullen is DreAMY!!@#!$$
I’m looking forward to the 4th Kind.
Like it or not, New Moon will do big box office. Frankly, it should be a better movie just by changing the director. I like True Blood myself but to each his own.
I went to see Paranormal Activity on your advice EW and I was sooooo disappointed. I have lost some faith in your movie reccomendation skills. Shame on you!!!
I’d probably rethink my source for legit film critique. Go to Rotten Tomatoes, scour the “Cream of the Crop” critics, and then make a decision. Relying on EW is not wise for your pocket book.
Me too! Kept waiting for it to get scary and….. nothing. What a great job with publicity though!
Kind of weird to release a Christmas movie in early November–couldn’t they have waited until the end of the month or December 1st? You don’t want to take attention away from the Thanksgiving holiday!
Hate all you want but A LOT PEOPLE love Twilight and it’s going to kick butt compared to these jokes.
THIS IS HOW BIG TWILIGHT IS AND THAT IS EVERYWHERE because this article has nothing to do with Twilight and it seems Twilight finds itself everywhere.
HATING IS JEALOUSY and you know it.
I CAN’T WAIT FOR NEW MOON !
Hatinng is not jelouly, its annoyance.