The Devil Inside, a low-budget, overall low-quality horror about possession claimed top spot in the first full box office weekend of the new year in the US. Its estimated $35m three-day gross is something of a wonder this early in the year given that January tends to be a dumping ground.
The result helped the US box office to gross around $144m, according to reports, and inspired a 28% climb on the first weekend of 2011. The Devil Inside opened through Insurge, Paramount's micro-budget genre label, which was set up in the wake of the Paranormal Activity phenomenon – but come on, haven't we had enough of found-footage horror films?
As the fourth Mission: Impossible entry, Ghost Protocol neared $200m and the second Sherlock Holmes instalment coasted past $150m, it's heartening to see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo advance gradually towards $100m. A little surprising, however, to see War Horse languishing on $57m after three weekends.
The big story of the top 10 is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Tomas Alfredson's remarkable John le Carré adaptation, which is looking good in the Bafta race but so far has been criminally over looked in the US awards season. Still, there are always the Oscar nominations. Focus Features reported Tinker's biggest gross yet in its five-week career after executives expanded it from 57 theatres to 809. Gary Oldman et al coaxed $5.8m out of projects for a $10.4m cumulative total and one can only hope it will catch fire.
North American top 10, 6-8 January 2012
1. The Devil Inside, $34.5m
2. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, $20.5m. Total: $170.2m
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, $14.1m. Total: $157.4m
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, $11.3m. Total: $76.8m
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, $9.5m. Total: $111.6m
6. War Horse, $8.6m. Total: $56.8m
7. We Bought a Zoo, $8.5m. Total: $56.5m
8. The Adventures of Tintin, $6.6m. Total: $61.9m
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, $5.8m. Total: $10.4m
10. New Year's Eve, $3.3m. Total: $52m
