According to preliminary studio estimates, Avatar pulled back to the top of the box office on Christmas Eve, nabbing $11.325 million (down 31% from Wednesday — $16.445), pushing its domestic tally to $137.27 million. The film is closing in on $400 million worldwide (current worldwide figure is $392.95 million).
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel finished in second place with an estimated $8.05 million (down 57% from its opening day — $18.801 million). It’s domestic total stands at $26.85 million.
The Avatar number is the biggest ever for a Christmas Eve — and ‘Alvin 2′ now has the second best Christmas Eve on record – and continues to point towards an incredibly impressive 1st place second weekend for the well-received sci-fi film. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King previously held the record for Christmas Eve, but Avatar easily bested it (Tuesday, December 24, 2002: $7.79M), even when adjusting for inflation.
You can see my predictions for the weekend here.
Thursday numbers are posted below.
| Rank | Movie | Thursday Gross (Estimates) |
Percent Change from Wednesday | Theaters |
| 1 | Avatar | $11.325M | -31% | 3,542 |
| 2 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel | $8.05M | -57% | 3,656 |
| 3 | Up In The Air | $1.752M | +1% | 1,895 |
| 4 | The Blind Side | $1.535M | -30% | 3,407 |
| 5 | The Princess and the Frog | $1.446M | -41% | 3,475 |
| 6 | A Christmas Carol | $0.891M | -9% | 1,736 |
| 7 | Invictus | $0.710M | -11% | 2,125 |
| 8 | Did You Hear About the Morgans? | $0.660M | -36% | 2,718 |
| 9 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | $0.392M | -57% | 2,642 |
| 10 | Brothers | $0.240M | -43% | 1,714 |
Sources: Box Office Mojo, Deadline Hollywood and Box Office
