The weekend after Thanksgiving has always been a slow weekend for theater box offices, however this weekend was slower than normal, and with no new wide releases The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn part 1 had no trouble holding onto it’s number 1 spot. 

With $16.9 million, Breaking Dawn was able to keep its hold as number 1.  This total is enough to move its domestic total up to $247.3 million which puts it as the #4 highest grossing film of 2011 above Pirates of the Caribbean and behind (in order from lowest to highest) Hangover part II, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part II.  Breaking Dawn is still pacing just behind New Moon, which at this point in 2009 had grossed just a little over $255 million.

Keeping hold of its #2 spot was Disney’s The Muppets, which brought in another $11.2 million.  This brings their domestic total up to $56.1 million (budget was $45 million).  The critically acclaimed Hugo moved up to #3 after debuting last weekend in the #5 spot with $7.6 million.  The Christmas themed Arthur Christmas held steady at #4 with $7.4 million.  Sony Pictures is hoping that the Christmas themed move will pick up as we get closer to the Holiday.

Rounding out the top 5 this weekend is Happy Feet Two which earned $6 million for a 3 week domestic total of $51.8 million and a worldwide total of $65.7 million.

Weekend Top 10

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn–Part 1 – $16.9 million

2. The Muppets –  $11.2 million

3. Hugo – $7.6 million

4. Arthur Christmas – $7.4 million

5. Happy Feet Two – $6 million

6. Jack and Jill – $5.5 million

7. The Descendants – $5.2 million

8. Immortals – $4.4 million

9. Tower Heist – $4.1 million

10. Puss in Boots – $3.1 million

Next weekends biggest release is New Year’s Eve which features an all star cast and will most likely kick Breaking Dawn out of the #1 spot.  Also in nationwide release is the new Jonah Hill film The Sitter.