#1 of 8 #1 thriller movie of December 2009
2009 · Action, Adventure
$524M worldwide · 72% of the chart's total
$209M US & Canada · 40% $315M elsewhere · 60%
Thriller box office · December 2009
Thriller Box Office, December 2009: Top-Grossing Releases
Sherlock Holmes (2009) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in December 2009, with $524M worldwide, ahead of The Lovely Bones (2009) at $93.6M and Brothers (2009) at $43.5M. 8 thriller films released in December 2009 report a worldwide gross, $724.6M in all, 41% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 25% on November 2009, whose releases took $969.8M. By language, English leads with $687.8M across 6 thriller releases.
- December 2009 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $724.6M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 2009
- −25%
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of December 2009?
Sherlock Holmes (2009) leads with $524M, 72% of the total. The top 5 together took $720.6M, 99% of what all 8 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Thriller Release of December 2009, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in December 2009.
- 1 Dec 25, 2009 US and Canada: $209M Rest of the world: $315M Worldwide: $524M
- 2 Dec 11, 2009 US and Canada: $44.1M Rest of the world: $49.5M Worldwide: $93.6M
- 3 Dec 4, 2009 US and Canada: $28.5M Rest of the world: $14.9M Worldwide: $43.5M
- 4 Dec 30, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $36.5M
- 5 Dec 4, 2009 US and Canada: $16M Rest of the world: $7M Worldwide: $22.9M
- 6
Dec 2, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.2M - 7
Dec 18, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $579.6K - 8
Dec 11, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $322.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2009?
Of the top 8, Armored (2009) earned the biggest share at home (70% in the US & Canada), while Sherlock Holmes (2009) made 60% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $297.7M (41%) came from the US & Canada. 4 films of the top 8 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Sherlock Holmes (2009) $524M $209M US & Canada · 40% $315M elsewhere · 60%
- 2 The Lovely Bones (2009) $93.6M $44.1M US & Canada · 47% $49.5M elsewhere · 53%
- 3 Brothers (2009) $43.5M $28.5M US & Canada · 66% $14.9M elsewhere · 34%
- 4 The Chaser (2009) $36.5M No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Armored (2009) $22.9M $16M US & Canada · 70% $7M elsewhere · 30%
- 6 Map of the Sounds of Tokyo (2009) $3.2M No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 The New Daughter (2009) $579.6K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Tenderness (2009) $322.2K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 2009 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 20–26) took $524M, led by Sherlock Holmes (2009). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Brothers (2009) $69.6M Brothers (2009)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 The Lovely Bones (2009) $93.9M The Lovely Bones (2009)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 The New Daughter (2009) $579.6K The New Daughter (2009)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Sherlock Holmes (2009) $524M Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 The Chaser (2009) $36.5M The Chaser (2009)
Earlier years
How Does December 2009 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2007 earned the most: $1.5B from 16 films, led by I Am Legend (2007). December 2009 took $724.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2000 8 films | 8 | $598.6M | – | Vertical Limit (2000) $215.7M |
| December 2001 8 films · +13% | 8 | $676.8M | +13% | Ocean's Eleven (2001) $450.7M |
| December 2002 9 films · −78% | 9 | $147.8M | −78% | Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) $67.3M |
| December 2003 6 films · −20% | 6 | $118.9M | −20% | Paycheck (2003) $117.2M |
| December 2004 9 films · +382% | 9 | $573.2M | +382% | Ocean's Twelve (2004) $362.7M |
| December 2005 13 films · −27% | 13 | $416.6M | −27% | Munich (2005) $131M |
| December 2006 20 films · +77% | 20 | $737.6M | +77% | Blood Diamond (2006) $171.7M |
| December 2007 16 films · +104% | 16 | $1.5B | +104% | I Am Legend (2007) $585.4M |
| December 2008 17 films · −62% | 17 | $569.2M | −62% | The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) $233.1M |
| December 2009 8 films · +27% | 8 | $724.6M | +27% | Sherlock Holmes (2009) $524M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Thriller Movies Speak in December 2009?
English-language thriller films took $687.8M across 6 films, 95% of the total, ahead of Korean-language thriller films ($36.5M) and Italian-language thriller films ($322.2K).
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 2009, Month by Month
The months of 2009 with their totals: May leads with $1.3B, led by Angels & Demons (2009).
- January $550.7M #1 Taken (2009)
- February $162.8M #1 The International (2009)
- March $713.7M #1 Watchmen (2009)
- April $662.9M #1 Fast & Furious (2009)
- May $1.3B #1 Angels & Demons (2009)
- June $1.1B #1 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- July $412.4M #1 Public Enemies (2009)
- August $1.1B #1 Inglourious Basterds (2009)
- September $541.7M #1 Paranormal Activity (2009)
- October $325.5M #1 Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
- November $969.8M #1 2012 (2009)
- December $724.6M #1 Sherlock Holmes (2009)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office December 2009: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in December 2009?
Sherlock Holmes (2009) leads with $524M worldwide, $209M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Lovely Bones (2009) at $93.6M and Brothers (2009) at $43.5M.
How much did thriller movies released in December 2009 earn?
8 thriller films released in December 2009 report a worldwide gross, $724.6M in all, or $90.6M per film on average. November 2009 releases took $969.8M.
How many thriller movies released in December 2009 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Sherlock Holmes (2009) with $524M.
How is the December 2009 thriller box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in December 2009. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the December 2009 thriller box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.