‘Mission’ wins at holiday box office

LOS ANGELES - Hollywood has picked up a little Christmas bonus.

Studios generally underestimated the size of their movie audiences over the weekend, and they’re now revising the holiday revenues upward.

Leading the way is Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,’’ which pulled in $29.5 million for the weekend. That Monday figure is $3 million more than distributor Paramount estimated a day earlier.

For the four-day period Friday to Monday, Paramount estimates “Ghost Protocol’’ will have taken in $46.2 million to raise its domestic total to $78.6 million. That’s on top of $140 million the film has taken in overseas, giving it a worldwide haul of $218.6 million.

Studios Monday also reported stronger results than they did a day earlier for Robert Downey Jr.’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,’’ which was No. 2 at $20.3 million for the three-day weekend and $31.8 million for the four-day period; Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of Tintin’’ at No. 5 with $9.7 million over three days and $16.1 million for four days; and Matt Damon’s “We Bought a Zoo’’ at No. 6 with $9.5 million over three days and $15.6 million for four days.

In a tight race for the No. 4 spot were David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’’ and the family sequel “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.’’

“Dragon Tattoo’’ did $12.8 million over three days and $19.4 million for four days. “Chipwrecked’’ took in $12.7 million over three days and $20 million for four days.

A few films debuted on Christmas Day, among them Spielberg’s World War I epic “War Horse,’’ which took in $7.5 million Sunday. Through Monday, its estimated two-day total is $15 million.

Also debuting was Emile Hirsch’s action thriller “The Darkest Hour.”

AP