While the number one spot was an easy lock, the amount of money the first place film brought in was shockingly low. Here’s what went down:
Nobody questioned that The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was going to top the box office for its opening weekend, but I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how low its estimated weekend numbers were going to be. Debuting with $56.2 million, the film was a far cry from The Desolation of Smaug’s $73 million and An Unexpected Journey’s $84 million. With this sort of showing, I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Battle of the Five Armies wind up with the lowest gross of all Lord of the Rings films, at least in North America.
The weekend wasn’t much better for the other two new releases. Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb debut in second placed with $17.3 million, a far cry from the second film’s $54 million and the first’s $30 million. The Annie remake debut in third $16.3 million, not a great showing for that film either.
As for the rest of the top five, Exodus: Gods and Kings fell to fourth place with $8 million, while The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 closed things out in fifth with $7.7 million.
So, to recap, here were our predictions:
1) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – $72 million
2) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – $25 million
3) Annie – $15 million
4) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 – $12 million
5) Exodus: Gods and Kings – $10 million
And here’s how the weekend turned out:
1) The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – $56.2 million
2) Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – $17.3 million
3) Annie – $16.3 million
4) Exodus: Gods and Kings – $8 million
5) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 – $7.7 million
Lots of films hit theatres Christmas Day, including Into The Woods and Unbroken. Be sure to check back on Friday to see our predictions for the last weekend of 2014.
