Hollywood eyes first $10 billion box office
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ñ Audiences have given Hollywood a big present in advance of Christmas, as U.S. and Canadian movie ticket sales for 2009 were expected to cross the $10 billion mark on Tuesday for the first time.
Through Sunday, the total U.S. and Canadian box office stood just $36 million short of crossing the $10 billion mark, said tracking firm Hollywood.com Box Office.
With Monday generating $29 million in ticket sales, led by strong results for “Avatar,” the industry was expected to cross $10 billion on Tuesday.
“We’re looking at some huge numbers for the next 10 days or so that will put us well over that $10 billion mark” for the full year, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com Box Office.
Dergarabedian said he expected the 2009 total to come to more than $10.4 billion.
Last year’s total was $9.63 billion.
Christmas Day is among the busiest days of the year for box offices. Ticket sales on Christmas Day last year was $76 million, and Dergarabedian said he expects this year’s total to surpass that, with “Sherlock Holmes,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” and comedy “It’s Complicated” hitting theaters.
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