Weekend Box Office: 'Breaking Dawn' Bests 'Muppets' for Threepeat Victory

Don't underestimate vampires of the underworld from the underworld and werewolves after they go facing various frogs, pigs, and bears. That's this weekend's box office lesson. With no new wide-release movies in theaters, el born area office competition was stated to become a carefully fought against against fight between holdovers ''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning Part 1' and ''The Muppets,' however it didn't finish close-up whatsoever. 'Breaking Dawn' easily defended its crown for just about any third straight week towards the top, while 'The Muppets' dropped faster than prone to a distant second place. After last weekend's repeat victory, 'Breaking Dawn' was prone to stay with the road of past years' Thanksgiving blockbusters (including previous 'Twilight' installment 'New Moon' couple of years ago) and drop about 65 percent a couple of days ago, who have put it around $14.5 million. Nevertheless it wound up just 59 percent, with an thought weekend take of $16.9 million. In 17 days, the supernatural romance follow-up has acquired $247.3 million within the U . s . States plus much more overseas, for just about any worldwide total of $532.3 million. For 'The Muppets,' a fifty percent drop from last weekend's debut may have meant about $14.5 million together with a neck-and-neck fight while using 'Twilight' neck-biters. Some bloggers were even predicting a Muppet victory a couple of days ago, due to the film's passionate reviews and word-of-mouth. The film fell an entire 62 percent, to have an thought $11.2 million, nearly $6 000 0000 below 'Breaking Beginning.' Why the steeper than expected drop? Maybe more kids than expected visited see 'Hugo,' which extended its release by about fifty percent a couple of days ago, to be able to 'Arthur Christmas,' the only real periodic-designed holiday film presently in wide release. Still, 'Muppets' ongoing to become the most effective selection for family viewing, which is take up to now involves $56.5 million over 12 days. 'Hugo's second-week decline will be a modest 33 percent, since it added 563 more screens, for just about any total of a single,840. Its thought take of $7.6 000 0000 was ideal for another-place finish. It stood a per-screen average of $4,144, the greatest from the current family films. ('The Muppets' acquired $3,256 per venue.) That signifies strong word-of-mouth, which, along with rapturous reviews, need to keep the Martin Scorsese 3d adventure afloat using the relaxation in the holidays. In 12 days, 'Hugo' has acquired $25.2 million. 'Arthur Christmas' also organized well, sliding just 39 percent to have an thought $7.4 million. That showed up the cartoon in fourth place, though its take is close enough to 'Hugo's that they are likely to find their ranks remedied when final amounts are released on Monday. Its two-week total is slightly before 'Hugo' at $25.3 million. 'Happy Foot Two' gets the most tepid reviews and word-of-mouth among current family releases, nevertheless it held onto a location inside the 5 top getting a take thought at $6. million. That's lower 55 percent from the other day, quite normal for just about any cartoon within the third week of release, especially due to the heavy competition inherited marketplace. In 72 hours, the penguin pic has danced offered by $51.8 million. Elsewhere round the chart, 'The Descendants,' like fellow honours-season hopeful 'Hugo,' extended its run by about fifty percent (to 574 screens) and was paid out getting a box office boost. It rose from tenth place to seventh and acquired another thought $5.2 million, for just about any three-week total of $18.millions of. As well as the much-buzzed-about 'Shame' opened up on 10 screens and did perfectly, producing $36,100 per screen for just about any total of $361,000, ideal for a 16th-place debut. That per-screen average signifies more effective-than-usual commercial appeal with this particular NC-17 movie when the weekend's amounts can persuade enough additional theater entrepreneurs to book the film, it provides a good possibility of damaging the $5 million ceiling that no NC-17-rated film has cracked since 2004. Honours interest for Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan's performances inside the sex-addiction drama won't hurt. Since the year winds lower, box office remains about 3.2 percent behind where it absolutely was at this time around this season. This Year's thought grosses so far are $9.4 billion, compared to $9.7 billion this past year. 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning Part 1' - Trailer No. 2 The whole top: 1. 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning Part 1,' $16.9 million (4,046 screens), $247.3 million total 2. 'The Muppets,' $11.2 million (3,440), $56.millions of 3. 'Hugo,' $7.6 000 0000 (1,840) $25.2 million 4. 'Arthur Christmas,' $7.4 million (3,376), $25.3million 5. 'Happy Foot Two,' $6. million (3,536), $51.8 million 6. 'Jack and Jill,' $5.5 million (3,049), $64.3 million 7. 'The Descendants,' $5.2 million (574), $18.millions of 8. 'Immortals,' $4,4 million (2,627), $75.6 000 0000 9. 'Tower Heist,' $4.millions of (2.404), $70.8 million 10. 'Puss in Boots,' $3.millions of (2,750), $139.5 million [Photos: Summit ('Breaking Dawn'), Disney ('The Muppets'), Fox Searchlight ('Shame')] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman