NORTH AMERICA: 'Taken 3' Takes First on Tuesday with $3.29M; 'Selma' Holds Up Nicely in Second with $1.16M

By Daniel Garris

Fox's Taken 3 grossed $3.29 million on Tuesday to easily lead the daily box office for a fifth straight day. The third installment of the Liam Neeson led franchise was up 36 percent over Monday. Daily percentage increases were especially strong in general on Tuesday due in part to Monday's grosses being deflated a bit by the College Football Playoff National Championship game. Taken 3 has grossed a stronger than expected $44.91 million in five days. That places the film a reasonable 24 percent behind the $58.97 million five-day start of 2012's Taken 2.

Paramount's Selma held steady in second place with $1.16 million. The modestly budgeted Ava DuVernay directed awards season hopeful was up a healthy 46 percent over Monday. Selma has grossed a softer than expected $15.55 million after five days of wide release. The film will likely hold up very nicely over the next week, especially with aid from the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday weekend and strong word of mouth.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies took in $1.00 million to remain in third. The third installment of Warner's The Hobbit trilogy was up 39 percent over Monday and down a sharp 48 percent from last Tuesday. The Battle of the Five Armies has grossed $238.18 million in 28 days and is now running just 2 percent ahead of the $234.20 million 28-day gross of 2012's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

The Imitation Game was up one spot and an impressive 63 percent over Monday to take fourth on Tuesday with $0.987 million. The awards season hopeful from The Weinstein Company continues to display very strong holding power thanks in part to strong word of mouth and continued awards season buzz. The Imitation Game has grossed $42.02 million to date and should continue to hold up very well going forward.

Unbroken was down one spot from Monday to round out Tuesday's top five with $0.941 million. The Angelina Jolie directed war drama from Universal was up a strong 54 percent over Monday and down 43 percent from last Tuesday. Unbroken continues to exceed expectations with $102.96 million in 20 days.

Disney's Into the Woods took in $0.826 million to continue to claim sixth place. The Rob Marshall directed musical increased 39 percent over Monday and was down a very solid 37 percent from last Tuesday. Into the Woods has grossed a healthy $106.49 million through 20 days of release.

In other box office news, Fox's Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb surpassed the $100 million domestic mark yesterday after placing in seventh for the day with $0.447 million. The 26-day total for Secret of the Tomb stands at $100.31 million.