With the opening of Disney’s Tron: Legacy in IMAX and 3-D this weekend and its expected blockbuster debut, we take a look back at the films that made December a month to remember at the movie theatre. Lest anyone expect a $100 million opening weekend from this, the last month of the year, don’t bet the Christmas presents on it since it has never happened! That’s not to say that December lacks bragging rights: for the love of James Cameron the two top grossing films of all-time came from the twelfth month! Not only that, Mr. July himself, Will Smith leads the opening weekend derby for December with 2007’s I Am Legend which has managed to maintain its top dog status even when challenged by Avatar which grossed a mere $185,840 less when it debuted last year.
Now on to the December lopsided ratings game: Twenty of the top thirty December openers are rated PG-13. Yes you read that right. Said another way, fully two-thirds of the top films in our survey are of this rating, including the top three films on the list. This indicates that if you want your best chance at a hit-making debut in December, you might opt for this all-encompassing rating. Notably, nine of the top thirty December openers are rated PG and only one film is rated R. Of course there is no need to cry for the folks over at Disney and their PG-rated Tron: Legacy – they have a genuine chance to show those PG-13 weenies who’s the boss this weekend as it makes its mark in the top 10 of the December openings chart.
HOLLYWOOD.COM BOX-OFFICE – TOP DECEMBER OPENERS – GROSSES THROUGH DECEMBER 12, 2010
RANK TITLE DISTRIBUTOR 3-DAY OPENING RELEASE DATE RATING
1 I AM LEGEND WARNER BROS. $77,211,321 Fri, 12/14/07 PG-13
2 AVATAR FOX $77,025,481 Fri, 12/18/09 PG-13
3 LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING NEW LINE $72,629,713 Wed, 12/17/03 PG-13
4 THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION,
THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE BUENA VISTA $65,556,312 Fri, 12/9/05 PG
5 SHERLOCK HOLMES WARNER BROS. $65,380,000 Fri, 12/25/09 PG-13
6 LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS NEW LINE $62,007,528 Wed, 12/18/02 PG-13
7 KING KONG UNIVERSAL $50,130,145 Wed, 12/14/05 PG-13
8 ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL FOX $48,875,415 Wed, 12/23/09 PG
9 LORD OF THE RINGS, THE:
THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING NEW LINE $47,211,490 Wed, 12/19/01 PG-13
10 MEET THE FOCKERS UNIVERSAL $46,120,980 Wed, 12/22/04 PG-13
11 NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS DISNEY $44,783,772 Fri, 12/21/07 PG
12 ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS FOX $44,307,417 Fri, 12/14/07 PG
13 OCEAN’S TWELVE WARNER BROS. $39,153,380 Fri, 12/10/04 PG-13
14 OCEAN’S 11 WARNER BROS. $38,107,822 Fri, 12/7/01 PG-13
15 MARLEY AND ME FOX $36,357,586 Thu, 12/25/08 PG
16 WHAT WOMEN WANT PARAMOUNT $33,614,543 Fri, 12/15/00 PG-13
17 SCREAM 2 MIRAMAX/DIMENSION $32,926,342 Fri, 12/12/97 R
18 DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, THE FOX $30,480,153 Fri, 12/12/08 PG-13
19 NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM FOX $30,433,781 Fri, 12/22/06 PG
20 CATCH ME IF YOU CAN DREAMWORKS $30,082,000 Wed, 12/25/02 PG-13
21 LEMONY SNICKETS: A SERIES OF
UNFORTUNATE EVENTS PARAMOUNT $30,061,756 Fri, 12/17/04 PG
22 CAST AWAY FOX $28,883,406 Fri, 12/22/00 PG-13
23 TITANIC PARAMOUNT $28,638,131 Fri, 12/19/97 PG-13
24 CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN FOX $27,557,647 Thu, 12/25/03 PG
25 BEDTIME STORIES DISNEY $27,450,296 Thu, 12/25/08 PG
26 CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THE PARAMOUNT $26,853,816 Thu, 12/25/08 PG-13
27 PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, THE SONY $26,541,709 Fri, 12/15/06 PG-13
28 GOLDEN COMPASS, THE NEW LINE $25,783,232 Fri, 12/7/07 PG-13
29 PATCH ADAMS UNIVERSAL $25,262,280 Fri, 12/25/98 PG-13
30 TOMORROW NEVER DIES MGM $25,143,007 Fri, 12/19/97 PG-13
