Audiences returned to the movies Tuesday, delivering "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" another $3.7 million and "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" $1.6 million, according to early studio estimates.
After a successful limited debut last weekend, "M:I4" opened in wide release at 5 p.m. at about 3,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada. "Dragon Tattoo" premiered two hours later at 2,914 theaters to an A grade from moviegoer research firm Cinemascore.
"Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" is enjoying a strong run. The Paramount/Skydance movie opened in limited release — 300 IMAX and 125 other large-screen locations — on Friday.
It grossed $12.8 million over the weekend, and its cumulative total now stands at $19.1 million.
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As for the R-rated "Dragon Tattoo," Sony had planned to release the film on Wednesday, but announced Dec. 13 that it would open the movie at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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With that opening time, many theaters were able to show the two-hour-40-minute movie twice, although some only screened it once on Tuesday.
With business slow all through December, exhibitors are hoping for crowds this holiday weekend: On Wednesday, Paramount opens Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin." On Friday, Fox premieres its comedy "We Bought A Zoo." DreamWorks opens another Spielberg movie, "War Horse" Sunday.