Pre-Holiday Derby

Now with double Add Ons.

Daughter of Twilight (the Mom of which helped to take down White Doggie a couple of years a year ago) tears up the box office, earning $72.7 million on Friday ....

The animated contingent -- Planet 51 and Christmas Carol -- hang back in the middle of the pack, earning three million apiece. CC has now crossed the $70 million mark ...

Add On: Fantastic Mr. Fox, not yet a meaningful entry in the horse race, nevertheless had a robust Friday on a per-theater basis:

Fox Searchlight’s "Fantastic Mr. Fox" also minted a hearty per site of $13,103 in its second Friday for $52,000 off four Gotham and Los Angeles playdates. Through eight days, "Mr. Fox" counts a total domestic take of $410,536. Searchlight is scheduled to up the film’s theater count on Wednesday ...

Add On Too: At the finish line, DoT collects $140.7 million, a dandy chunk of change (I'm expecting a sizable drop as it moves along ...)

Back in mid-field, Planet 51 picks up $12.6 million at #4, while 5th place Christmas Carol adds $21.2 million as it moves toward the $80 million marker.

Meanwhilte, CGI effx extravaganza 2012 drops almost 60% during its second go-round, yet still picks up $26.5 million in box office receipts.

It's always useful to remember that the movies with a high "must see" quotient, that get released in a jillion theaters on Day One, usually drop like anvils during their second and third weekends. The people who burned with a red-hot desire to feast their eyes, show up with cash in hand the first weekend, and then move on.