News

Most audiences typically use the first weekend of January to catch up on December releases, so studios have taken to releasing genre titles as counterprogramming. This year is no exception: the only brand-new nationwide release this weekend is horror remake Texas Chainsaw 3D, which will reach 2,654 locations beginning at 10 p.m. on Thursday. It has a good chance of taking first place, though it's going to face tough competition from The Hobbit, Django Unchained and Les Miserables. Meanwhile, fracking drama Promised Land expands nationwide, and The Impossible and Not Fade Away will also each reach over 500 theaters. Michael BayMatt DamonNaomi WattsDavid Chase

Thanks to a handful of major blockbusters like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Hunger Games, 2012 set a new domestic box office record; the 2013 release schedule is similarly stacked with plenty of guaranteed blockbusters, and should at least come close to matching 2012's overall gross.J.J. AbramsMelissa McCarthyJason BatemanSandra BullockOwen WilsonVince Vaughn

Overseas business was booming on the final weekend of 2012: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey remained in first place by a large margin, though Life of Pi and Les Miserables also put up strong numbers. Meanwhile, Skyfall became the 14th movie ever to reach $1 billion worldwide, and that's before it even opens in China. Ang LeeTom CruiseBarbara BroccoliSam MendesDaniel CraigBilly CrystalBette Midler

On the last weekend of 2012, audiences crowded in to theaters to see three very different movies: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey managed to take the top spot for the third weekend in a row, though Django Unchained and Les Miserables also tallied impressive numbers. The Top 12 wound up earning an estimated $164.5 million, which helped push overall 2012 domestic box office to just under $10.8 billion (a new record). Quentin TarantinoBilly CrystalBette MidlerTom CruiseChristopher McQuarrieJudd ApatowSteven SpielbergMatt DamonJohn Krasinski

The Hobbit held the top spot at the beginning of the final weekend of 2012, though Django Unchained and Les Miserables weren't far behind. Quentin TarantinoBilly CrystalBette MidlerTom Cruise

On Thursday, December 27, yearly domestic box office passed $10.6 billion, making it the highest-grossing year ever ahead of 2009 ($10.59 billion). With four more days left in 2012, it's likely that the box office ultimately ends the year with around $10.8 billion. Sam Raimi

As expected, the 2012 Holiday movies audiences were really excited for came out on Christmas Day, not the weekend before: Les Miserables and Django Unchained both got off to fantastic starts on the holiday, while Parental Guidance had a very solid debut as well.Quentin TarantinoBilly CrystalBette MidlerTom CruiseJudd Apatow

Five new nationwide releases hit theaters this pre-Christmas weekend, though none came close to taking first place from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Peter JacksonTom CruiseJudd ApatowSteven SpielbergSeth RogenBarbra StreisandKathryn Bigelow

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey once again dominated the overseas box office this weekend, though its noticeable drop suggests it doesn't have any chance of it matching Return of the King in the long run. Tom Cruise

Afraid of opening any of their end-of-year titles ahead of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the major studios instead decided to pack the long Christmas weekend with eight nationwide releases. In comparison, the last time Christmas fell on a Tuesday there were only five new entries. Barbra StreisandSeth RogenTom CruiseChristopher McQuarrieJudd ApatowPaul RuddLeslie Mann

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened in most overseas markets this weekend and earned just under $138 million.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set a new December opening weekend record, though its debut failed to reach the inflated levels many were anticipating for director Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth. Ang LeeJennifer Lawrence

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey drew large crowds on Friday and set a new December opening day record with an estimated 37.5 million from 4,045 locations. Steven SpielbergGerard Butler

Midnight Update: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened to an incredible $13 million from 3,100 midnight locations. That may not seem like much when compared to record-holder Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($43.5 million) or this Summer's The Dark Knight Rises ($27 million), but for a December release that's a massive figure. In fact, it's three times as much as Avatar made at midnight ($3.537 million), and also way up on I Am Legend's $1.7 million. I Am Legend is the current December opening weekend record-holder with $77.2 million, which The Hobbit is now guaranteed to pass by the end of the weekend.Peter Jackson

Similar to the domestic box office, overseas markets are currently bracing for the upcoming debut of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. As a result, the top movie this weekend was Rise of the Guardians with a modest $26.2 million from 57 markets.Gerard Butler

Playing for Keeps, the only movie brave enough to open the week before The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, tanked this weekend, which allowed box office sensation Skyfall to move back in to first place in its fifth outing. The Top 12 wound up with just under $73 million, which makes this the third-lowest-grossing weekend of the year.Sam MendesSteven SpielbergAng LeeGerard ButlerBrad Pitt

This weekend's only new release, Playing for Keeps, opened outside of the Top Five on Friday, which allowed Skyfall to reclaim the top spot ahead of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2.Steven SpielbergAng LeeGerard ButlerBrad Pitt

In anticipation of the upcoming blockbuster opening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Gerard Butler romantic comedy Playing for Keeps is the only new nationwide release this weekend. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't seem likely to score at the box office, and instead first place will come down to a battle between five holdovers. In fact, these titles will likely be so close that we won't know the clear winner until actuals report on Monday.