According to the Box Office Mojo single-day chart for Thursday, James Cameron's sci-fi adventure Avatar grossed an estimated $11.3 million on Dec. 24. Looking at their charts, Avatar had the best non-weekend (Mon.-Thu.) Christmas Eve earnings ever (not adjusted for inflation).
When it comes to single-day rankings, Avatar's Thursday grosses were enough to land it in the #39 slot. The Thursday record holder remains Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which had its Day 1 on a Thursday in May 2005. (Yesterday was Avatar's Day 7.)
As for Thursdays in December, six movies hold higher rankings than Avatar. They are: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Day 2 at #12 and Day 9 at #20), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Day 9 at #15 and Day 2 at #21), Marley and Me (#18), Meet the Fockers (Day 2 at #28 and Day 9 at #31), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (#32), and Night at the Museum (#38).
The box-office phenomenon Titanic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, can be found at #37. Back on Jan. 1, 2008 (Day 14), $11.5 million were generated by James Cameron's romantic disaster melodrama (as opposed to disastrous romantic melodrama, though I'm sure some would refer to it that way).
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, which beat Avatar when it opened on Wed., is now way behind on the Thursday chart, landing at #74 with $8.0 million.
Tomorrow opens Guy Ritchie's much-ballyhooed Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law. That will be Avatar's chief competitor for moviegoers' dollars, though Cameron's film is the one expected to come out on top.
Avatar stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana in a tale set on a far-off moon inhabited by the blue-skinned Na'vi. Also in the cast: Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Laz Alonso, and CCH Pounder.
Photo: (WETA / 20th Century Fox)
With the very high gross rating and earnings in days – the movie Avatar definitely had the best Christmas Eve celebration. I will have to go watch the movie myself – the photos you shared are just simply amazing. – Manila