Box Office: 'Frozen' Takes No. 1, Makes Disney History
Credit: Disney Animation Studios
Disney's Frozen has regained the No. 1 spot at the box office, taking in $20.7 million in North America and $52.5 million overseas to bring its worldwide total to $639.9 million. But the real story is the historic accolade the film has achieved this weekend.
Not only is it practically an anomaly for a movie to reclaim the No. 1 spot after six weeks, Frozen is now the second most successful Disney Animation Studios in history after 1994's The Lion King. In addition, it has now the No. 4 original animated film of all-time. Yet even with all this outstanding news for Disney, it wasn't a complete runaway at the box office for Frozen, as the film came close to losing the top spot to a high-profile newcomer.
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones came in at No. 2 with $18.2 million, a solid number but below the other Paranormal Activity movies. However, the film cost only $5 million to make, so the horror pic has already recouped its production costs. The film, which is targeted towards Latino audiences, is intended to launch its own franchise separate from the main Paranormal Activity franchise.
In other developments, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is finally beginning to slow down a bit. The box office juggernaut fell to No. 3 with $16.3 million in North America. However, the film raked in an additional $58 million internationally, bringing the film to a worldwide gross of $756.6 million. Meanwhile, Oscar season picks round out the top five, as The Wolf of Wall Street took No. 4 while awards frontrunner American Hustle took No. 5. The two films were neck-and-neck with Wolf taking in $13.4 million and Hustle finishing with $13.2 million.
Outside of the top 5, Anchorman 2 continued its successful run, crossing the $100 million mark domestically, besting the $85 million North American gross of the first film in the franchise. For the weekend, the film finished at No. 6 with $11.1 million for a North American total of $109.2 million. Elsewhere, Disney's Saving Mr. Banks placed No. 7 with $9.1 million, while Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty followed with $8.2 million for a North American total of $45.7 million. The comedy crossed $100 million worldwide after taking in a solid $31.5 million internationally.
Lastly, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is one step closer to become the highest-grossing film of 2013 in North America. The sequel placed at No. 9 with $7.4 million, pushing its domestic total to $407.5 million, just shy of the $409 million grossed in North America by Iron Man 3. But good news for J-Law is counterbalanced with bad news for the Biebs, as Justin Bieber's concert documentary Believe continues to freefall, grossing a meager $573,000 in its second weekend for a domestic total $6 million. The news was only slightly better for Grudge Match: the comedy continues to stumble, finishing at No. 10 with just $5.4 million.
The full Top 10:
1. Frozen ($20.7 million)
2. Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones ($18.2 million)
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug ($15.7 million)
4. The Wolf of Wall Street ($13.4 million)
5. American Hustle ($13.2 million)
6. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues ($11.1 million)
7. Saving Mr. Banks ($9.1 million)
8. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty ($8.2 million)
9. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($7.4 million)
10. Grudge Match ($5.4 million)
Via: The Hollywood Reporter / Box Office Mojo