Brad Bird's Mission: Impossible Takes Holiday Box Office

Paramount's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL expanded to non-IMAX theaters over the Christmas weekend and took the #1 spot at the U.S. box office.

Paramount's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL expanded to non-IMAX theaters over the Christmas weekend and took the #1 spot at the U.S. box office. With vfx from Industrial Light & Magic, New Deal Studios, Persistence of Vision Entertainment and Svengali Visual Effects, the fourth installment of the Tom Cruise series earned $29.5 million, which raised its cume to $61.9 million.

Warner Bros.' SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS slipped to second place, discovering another $20.3 million. With vfx from Plowman Craven & Associates, BlueBolt, Framestore, Mark Roberts Motion Control, The Moving Picture Company (MPC), ReelEye Company and The Visual Effects Company, the sequel has a cume of $79 million.

Sony's THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO inked $12.8 million in its debut weekend. With vfx from Digital Domain, Method Studios and Panorama film & teatereffekter, the goth thriller has earned $21.1 million since its midweek opening.

Fox's ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: CHIPWRECKED sunk from second to fourth, saving $12.7 million. With vfx from Rhythm and Hues, the animation-live-action hybrid musical comedy has brought in $49.6 million to date.

Paramount's THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN made a disappointing premiere in fifth place, collecting $9.7 million. The Weta-produced performance capture film has a cume of $17.7 million when including its midweek numbers.

Fox's WE BOUGHT A ZOO didn't roar in its debut, meowing to the tune of $9.5 million. Crazy Horse Effects provided the vfx for the Cameron Crowe family film.

Disney's WAR HORSE (and the second Steven Spielberg film of the holidays) rode away with $7.5 million on its Sunday, Christmas Day, debut. Framestore and The Third Floor provided the vfx for the World War I melodrama.

New Line's NEW YEAR'S EVE dropped from fourth to eighth place, scoring an additional $3.32 million. With vfx from Method Studios, the star-studded romcom has total box office receipts equaling $32.7 million.

Summit Ent.'s THE DARKEST HOUR hit theaters on Christmas Day as well and collected $3 million. BUF, Polygon Entertainment and Soho VFX provided vfx for the alien invasion disaster flick.

Disney's THE MUPPETS held strong in the 10th slot with $2.15 million. With vfx from Legacy Effects and Shade VFX, the loving ode to Jim Henson's creations has a cume of $75.7 million.

Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.