James Cameron's Avatar grossed an estimated $14.9 million at the domestic box office on New Year's Eve. It's now #16 among the top Thursday grossers ever (not counting inflation/higher 3D/IMAX prices), according to Box Office Mojo, right behind Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. After 14 days in release, Avatar has taken in $283.8m in the US/Canada.
The top Thursday earner ever remains George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, with more than $50m on opening day in May 2005. All but three of the top 15 films listed in the Box Office Mojo chart took in their impressive amounts on one of their first three days out. The only exceptions are The Dark Knight at #14 ($16.4 on Day 7) and the aforementioned The Two Towers ($15.4 on Day 9).
Avatar stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver.
Also via Box Office Mojo: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel earned an estimated $8.75m at #2, followed closely behind by Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law's Sherlock Holmes with $8.72m. Figures remain unavailable for most other movies, though the Sandra Bullock vehicle The Blind Side collected $3.4m while Clint Eastwood's Invictus earned $985,000.
Photo: Avatar (WETA / 20th Century Fox)
Hi Michelle,
zhyx is right — According to Box Office Mojo $14.9m is the all time top New Years Eve gross, which is perhaps more meaningful than comparing it to other (regular) Thursdays since New Years Eve, like Christmas Eve, is a short box office day. Overall Box Office dropped from $54m on Dec 30 to $36m on Dec 31. Avatar's share of Box Office Gross went up from 32% on Dec 30, to 41% on Dec 31.
That was a typo that I, as the editor, should have caught. It's been corrected. Thank you.
What are you comparing? New year eve is a Thursday not Friday.
I believe this is the best New Year Eve gross.