#1 of 38 #1 English-language movie of December 2012
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
2012 · Adventure, Fantasy
$1B worldwide · 38% of the chart's total
$303M US & Canada · 30% $714.1M elsewhere · 70%
English box office · December 2012
English Box Office, December 2012: Top-Grossing Releases
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in December 2012, with $1B worldwide, ahead of Les Miserables (2012) at $442.8M and Django Unchained (2012) at $426.1M. 38 English-language films released in December 2012 report a worldwide gross, $2.7B in all, 36% of it from the US & Canada. 1 film crossed $1 billion and 6 crossed $100 million. That is down 35% on November 2012, whose releases took $4.1B. By genre, Drama leads with $1.5B across 19 English releases.
- December 2012 releases with a gross
- 38
- combined worldwide
- $2.7B
- films crossed $100M
- 6
- vs November 2012
- −35%
#1 of 38 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of December 2012?
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) leads with $1B, 38% of the total. The top 5 together took $2.3B, 86% of what all 38 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 English Release of December 2012, 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 2012.
- 1 Dec 14, 2012 US and Canada: $303M Rest of the world: $714.1M Worldwide: $1B
- 2 Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: $149.3M Rest of the world: $293.5M Worldwide: $442.8M
- 3 Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: $162.8M Rest of the world: $263.3M Worldwide: $426.1M
- 4 Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $80.1M Rest of the world: $138.3M Worldwide: $218.3M
- 5 Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $19M Rest of the world: $179.1M Worldwide: $198.1M
- 6
Dec 19, 2012 US and Canada: $95.7M Rest of the world: $37.1M Worldwide: $132.8M - 7
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $67.5M Rest of the world: $20.7M Worldwide: $88.2M - 8
Dec 19, 2012 US and Canada: $37.1M Rest of the world: $4.7M Worldwide: $41.9M - 9
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $12.5M Rest of the world: $21.6M Worldwide: $34.2M - 10
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $13.1M Rest of the world: $17.9M Worldwide: $31M - 11
Dec 28, 2012 US and Canada: $7.6M Rest of the world: $3.4M Worldwide: $11M - 12
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: $4.6M Worldwide: $11M - 13
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $744.3K Rest of the world: $8.9M Worldwide: $9.6M - 14
Dec 14, 2012 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: $1.8M Worldwide: $5.1M - 15
Dec 6, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.6M - 16
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $66.4K Rest of the world: $1.9M Worldwide: $1.9M - 17
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $21K Rest of the world: $1.6M Worldwide: $1.6M - 18
Dec 26, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 19
Dec 1, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $651.9K - 20
Dec 22, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $651.9K - 21
Dec 21, 2012 US and Canada: $610.8K Rest of the world: $25.6K Worldwide: $636.4K - 22
Dec 20, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $442.3K - 23
Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: $310.2K Rest of the world: $8.2K Worldwide: $318.3K - 24
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $42.2K Rest of the world: $255.3K Worldwide: $297.5K - 25
Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $295.5K - 26
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $2.7K Rest of the world: $168.3K Worldwide: $170.9K - 27
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $158.5K - 28
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.8K - 29
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $50.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.3K - 30
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $21.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.6K - 31
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $19.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.4K - 32
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $15.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.3K - 33
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $14.9K - 34
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $6.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.5K - 35
Dec 14, 2012 US and Canada: $5.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.7K - 36
Dec 10, 2012 US and Canada: $4.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.2K - 37
Dec 14, 2012 US and Canada: $1.3K Rest of the world: $2.8K Worldwide: $4.1K - 38
Dec 11, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2012?
Of the top 10, The Guilt Trip (2012) earned the biggest share at home (89% in the US & Canada), while The Impossible (2012) made 90% of its gross abroad. Across all 38 films, $959.4M (36%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) $1B $303M US & Canada · 30% $714.1M elsewhere · 70%
- 2 Les Miserables (2012) $442.8M $149.3M US & Canada · 34% $293.5M elsewhere · 66%
- 3 Django Unchained (2012) $426.1M $162.8M US & Canada · 38% $263.3M elsewhere · 62%
- 4 Jack Reacher (2012) $218.3M $80.1M US & Canada · 37% $138.3M elsewhere · 63%
- 5 The Impossible (2012) $198.1M $19M US & Canada · 10% $179.1M elsewhere · 90%
- 6 Zero Dark Thirty (2012) $132.8M $95.7M US & Canada · 72% $37.1M elsewhere · 28%
- 7 This Is 40 (2012) $88.2M $67.5M US & Canada · 77% $20.7M elsewhere · 23%
- 8 The Guilt Trip (2012) $41.9M $37.1M US & Canada · 89% $4.7M elsewhere · 11%
- 9 Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (2012) $34.2M $12.5M US & Canada · 37% $21.6M elsewhere · 63%
- 10 Playing for Keeps (2012) $31M $13.1M US & Canada · 42% $17.9M elsewhere · 58%
Gross bands
How Many December 2012 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
6 of 38 films crossed $100M and took $2.4B between them, 91% of the total. 26 films, 68% of the list, earned under $10M.
38% 53% 8%
- $1B or more 1 film, 3% of the list $1B · 38% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 5 films, 13% of the list $1.4B · 53% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 6 films, 16% of the list $217.2M · 8% of the gross
- Under $10M 26 films, 68% of the list $25.7M · <1% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 2012 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 9–15) took $1B, led by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 25–Dec 1 The Haunting of Pearson Place (2012) $651.9K The Haunting of Pearson Place (2012)
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 2–8 Playing for Keeps (2012) $48.8M Playing for Keeps (2012)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 9–15 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) $1B The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 16–22 Jack Reacher (2012) $724.8M Jack Reacher (2012)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 23–29 Les Miserables (2012) $881.6M Les Miserables (2012)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 30–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 2012 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2009 earned the most: $5B from 36 films, led by Avatar (2009). December 2012 took $2.7B.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2003 28 films | 28 | $3.1B | – | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $1.1B |
| December 2004 33 films · −40% | 33 | $1.9B | −40% | Meet the Fockers (2004) $522.7M |
| December 2005 33 films · +48% | 33 | $2.8B | +48% | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) $745M |
| December 2006 49 films · −1% | 49 | $2.8B | −1% | Night at the Museum (2006) $574.5M |
| December 2007 34 films · +17% | 34 | $3.2B | +17% | I Am Legend (2007) $585.4M |
| December 2008 43 films · −27% | 43 | $2.4B | −27% | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) $335.8M |
| December 2009 36 films · +110% | 36 | $5B | +110% | Avatar (2009) $2.9B |
| December 2010 33 films · −47% | 33 | $2.6B | −47% | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) $415.7M |
| December 2011 34 films · +1% | 34 | $2.6B | +1% | Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) $694.7M |
| December 2012 38 films · +2% | 38 | $2.7B | +2% | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) $1B |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in December 2012?
Drama took $1.5B across 19 films, 55% of the total, ahead of Adventure ($1.5B) and Fantasy ($1.1B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
December 2012 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $1.5B19 films · #1 Les Miserables (2012) -
Adventure $1.5B4 films · #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) -
Fantasy $1.1B2 films · #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) -
Thriller $994.6M6 films · #1 Les Miserables (2012) -
Action $977.9M5 films · #1 Django Unchained (2012) -
Crime $651.4M4 films · #1 Django Unchained (2012) -
Romance $474.9M7 films · #1 Les Miserables (2012) -
Musical $442.8M1 film · #1 Les Miserables (2012) -
Western $426.1M1 film · #1 Django Unchained (2012) -
History $341.9M4 films · #1 The Impossible (2012)
Archive
English Box Office in 2012, Month by Month
The months of 2012 with their totals: November leads with $4.1B, led by Skyfall (2012).
- January $566.6M #1 Underworld: Awakening (2012)
- February $1.5B #1 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
- March $2.1B #1 The Hunger Games (2012)
- April $888.5M #1 American Reunion (2012)
- May $3.3B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- June $3.3B #1 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
- July $3.2B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- August $1.5B #1 The Expendables 2 (2012)
- September $1.5B #1 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
- October $1.4B #1 Taken 2 (2012)
- November $4.1B #1 Skyfall (2012)
- December $2.7B #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
FAQ
English Box Office December 2012: 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 38 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in December 2012?
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) leads with $1B worldwide, $303M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Les Miserables (2012) at $442.8M and Django Unchained (2012) at $426.1M.
How much did English-language movies released in December 2012 earn?
38 English-language films released in December 2012 report a worldwide gross, $2.7B in all, or $70.5M per film on average. November 2012 releases took $4.1B.
How many English-language movies released in December 2012 made $1 billion?
1 film crossed $1 billion worldwide: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). 6 crossed $100 million.
How is the December 2012 English 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 2012. 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the December 2012 English 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.