Film News: ‘Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol’ Tops Box Office For Second Straight Week

CHICAGO – For the second week in a row, Tom Cruise and the newest “Mission: Impossible” chapter reigned supreme. “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” came in at number one with an estimated $31.3 million at the box office, a total up 6% from its total last weekend.

In fact, the entire box office did well for the last days of 2011 and the first of 2012. Every film in the top ten, all of which were not new releases, had higher total grosses this weekend than Christmas weekend. After the disappointment of Christmas weekend, studios must have been excited to see higher totals to ring in the new year.

“Ghost Protocol” finished just ahead of “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked” for the second straight week, bringing its total gross up to $134.1 million. “Holmes” has now grossed $132.1 million total, while the singing rodents have made $94.6 million.

Will “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” be able to make it three weeks in a row at number one? The film will have to top all the current releases once more, as well as the new horror film “The Devil Inside.”

1. Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol [10]– $31.3 million – up 6% — $134.1 million total
2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows [11]– $22.1 million – up 9% — $132.1 million total
3. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked– $18.3 million – up 45% — $94.6 million total
4. War Horse [12]– $16.9 million – up 125% — $43 million total
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [13]– $16.3 million – up 28% — $57.1 million total
6. We Bought a Zoo [14]– $14.3 million – up 53% — $41.8 million total
7. The Adventures of Tintin [15]– $12 million – up 24% — $47.8 million total
8. New Year’s Eve [16]– $6.7 million – up 103% — $46.4 million total
9. The Darkest Hour — $4.3 million – up 43% — $13.2 million total
10. The Descendants [17]— $3.7 million – up 76% — $39.7 million total

[18]	By TIM MARTENS [19] Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com tim@hollywoodchicago.com [18]