1. "Avatar" ($75 million)
2. "Sherlock Holmes" ($65.4 million)
3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" ($50.2 million)
4. "It's Complicated" ($22.1 million)
5. "Up in the Air" ($11.8 million)
This holiday weekend, "Sherlock Holmes" fell victim to one of the classic blunders, and no, it wasn't: "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line." Instead, Warner Bros. and the decision makers behind the sleuth supreme's onscreen rebirth made the mistake of going up against James Cameron's "Avatar," the 3D action epic that won first place for its second week in a row.
To "Holmes'" credit, it was a tight race. Guy Ritchie's latest movie edged out over "Avatar" on Friday night by $1.4 million, though Cameron's science fiction film closed that gap and then some by earning a $75 million weekend total, almost a full $10 million over "Sherlock's" $65.4 million.
Of course, the real result is that both movies — both incredibly entertaining popcorn flicks and both filled with spectacle aplenty — did very well at this weekend's box office. And while "Avatar" and "Holmes" were the major breadwinners, they weren't the only films that benefited from Santa's favorite holiday.
Third place was awarded to "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which earned $50.2 million over the weekend and $77.1 million total since its opening on Wednesday. "It's Complicated," yet another newcomer, took home $22 million and the fourth place prize. The final spot in the top five went to critical darling "Up in the Air," which earned $11.8 million thanks to an expansion of almost 2,000 theaters.
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," which opened in four locations in Los Angeles and New York City, boasted the weekend's highest per screen average at $32,500.
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