AP Film Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Audiences had their pick of genres over the Christmas weekend, but despite a host of fresh arrivals, splashy holiday fare like "Unbroken" and "Into the Woods" proved no match for "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies."
The final installment in Peter Jackson's trilogy marched to the top spot once again with an estimated $41.4 million take across the weekend ($54.5 including Christmas day earnings), according to studio estimates Sunday.
Universal's World War II epic "Unbroken," took second place with $31.7 million from the weekend, bringing its domestic total to $47.3 million from its first four days in theaters.
"We're all thrilled," Nikki Rocco, Universal's president of domestic distribution said of the Angelina Jolie-directed drama. "It's a testament to how great this movie is. I'm so happy that America found out about it."
Added Rentrak's senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian: "The story of Louis Zamperini really offered a nice alternative for moviegoers who weren't looking for a fantasy world, a musical or a family film."
Disney's musical "Into the Woods," boasting a star packed cast and a PG rating, came in a close third with $31 million, and $46.1 million across the four-day. It replaced "Mamma Mia" as the biggest opening for a screen adaptation of a Broadway musical ever.
"To be able to take (Stephen) Sondheim and (James) Lapine's work and make it available to a mass audience? It's a great holiday gift in and of itself," said Disney's distribution Executive Vice President Dave Hollis.
The rest of the top five was populated by holdovers "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" and "Annie" and which earned $20.6 million and $16.6 million, respectively, in their second weekend in theaters.
"Their opening numbers didn't really set the world on fire, but, as we thought, they would play well over the Christmas holiday," Dergarabedian said.
Sony's "The Interview," which was also available for rental and purchase online, ultimately took in $2.8 million from 331 theaters since its opening on Thursday, with $1.8 million of that coming from the weekend.
"I'm so grateful that the movie found its way into theaters, and I'm thrilled that people actually went out and saw it," said writer, director and star Seth Rogen in a statement.
"We are very pleased with how it is doing both theatrically where we are seeing numerous sell-outs across the country, and online where it remains at the top of many charts" added Sony's president of worldwide distribution Rory Bruer. Earnings from digital rentals were not made available.
Other weekend debuts include Paramount's $25 million crime drama "The Gambler," which took seventh place with a middling $9.3 million from 2,478 theaters. The Weinstein Company's "Big Eyes," earned only $2.97 million over the weekend from 1,307 screens and $4.4 million from the four-day. The haul is a career low for Tim Burton compared to his other wide release openings.
In limited release, Clint Eastwood's fact-based Iraq war drama "American Sniper" opened in four locations, taking in a phenomenal $610,000. The staggering $152, 510 per-theater average is second this year only to "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
Ava DuVernay's Martin Luther King Jr. drama "Selma," meanwhile, opened in 19 locations to $590,000 over the three-day weekend for a solid $31,053 per-theater average. The film expands nationwide on Jan. 9.
Dergarabedian thinks that less impressive debuts, such as awards hopeful "Big Eyes," could find an audience in the coming weeks.
"It's just very, very crowded out there," Dergarabedian said. "The audience wins, though. There is so much choice out there. If you can't find a movie to your liking in this lineup, then you just don't like movies."
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," $41.4 million ($89.2 million international).
2. "Unbroken," $31.7 million ($2.7 million international).
3. "Into the Woods," $31 million ($1.6 million international).
4. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," $20.6 million ($30.3 million international).
5. "Annie," $16.6 million ($5.9 million international).
6. "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1," $10 million ($7.9 million international).
7. "The Gambler," $9.3 million.
8. "The Imitation Game," $7.9 million ($400,000 international).
9. "Exodus: Gods and Kings," $6.8 million ($31 million international).
10. "Wild," $5.4 million.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:
1. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," $89.2 million.
2. "Exodus: Gods and Kings," $31 million.
3. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," $30.3 million
4. "The Taking of Tiger Mountain," $25 million.
5. "Big Hero 6," $24.7 million.
6. "Penguins of Madagascar," $16.1 million.
7. "P.K.," $14.3 million.
8. "International Market," $14 million.
9. "Paddington," $12 million.
10. "Love on the Cloud," $10 million.
Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.
Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ldbahr
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