A talking lion, a wicked witch and a cupboard have recorded the fourth biggest Boxing Day tally at Australian cinemas, early estimates have revealed.
Film distributor Buena Vista International announced The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe netted $3.4 million across the country on Monday.
Official figures would not be available until today but Boxing Day audiences in South Australia supported the seeming dominance of Narnia.
“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opened to full houses at some of the suburban cinemas,” Wallis Theatres spokeswoman Wendy Brew said.
While the Jim Carrey comedy Fun with Dick and Jane and Antonio Banderas’ sequel The Legend of Zorro also opened well, Narnia was the latest instant blockbuster to benefit from Boxing Day’s reputation as a profitable date for cinema attendance.
“It will probably not be quite as big as The Return of the King, it will take a big title again to come close to that,” Ms Brew said about the final Rings installment.
With Narnia set to claim the fourth biggest Boxing Day opening in Australia, The Lord of the Rings trilogy was at the top of the list.
