The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Takes First a Third Straight Weekend

The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.

With no new wide release, Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 easily topped the box office for a third straight weekend, adding an estimated $ 16.9 million domestically for a total of $ 247.3 million. The $ 110 million-budgeted fourth installment has also reached $ 341 million internationally to push its worldwide total to $ 588.3 million.

Disney’s The Muppets remained in second place its second weekend with $ 11.2 million, a drop of 61.7% in ticket sales from its first weekend. The $ 45 million movie has earned $ 56.1 million domestically so far. Overseas, the The Muppets made $ 1.8 million from three markets for an international total of $ 4 million and worldwide total of $ 60.1 million.

The Martin Scorsese-directed Hugo added 563 theaters and jumped up two spots from fifth to third place. The 3D Paramount release collected $ 7.6 million from just 1,840 theaters to bring its two-week total to $ 25.2 million.

Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman’s Arthur Christmas kept the fourth spot with $ 7.4 million, a drop of just 39.1%, and has brought in $ 25.3 million domestically after two weeks. Internationally, the pic grossed $ 11.4 million from 43 markets for a total of $ 45.3 million. The film has earned $ 70.6 million worldwide.

Dropping two spots, Warner Bros.’ Happy Feet Two rounded out the top five with $ 6 million and has earned $ 51.8 million after three weeks.

Sony’s Jack and Jill remained in sixth with $ 5.5 million from 3,049 theaters while Fox Searchlight’s The Descendants followed closely in seventh with $ 5.2 million from just 574 theaters. The former has reached $ 64.3 million after four weeks and the latter $ 18.1 million after three weeks.

In limited release, Steve McQueen’s NC-17 rated Shame debuted to $ 361,181 from only 10 theaters, a strong average of $ 36,118 per location. The drama stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.

Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.