LOS ANGELES — Sherlock Holmes is facing his greatest foe: declining crowds at theaters as this year’s domestic movie attendance dips to the lowest in 16 years.
Robert Downey Jr.’s sequel “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” debuted on top with a $40 million weekend, off 36 percent from the first installment’s $62.3 million opening two years ago, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker , estimated that the number of tickets sold domestically in 2011 will come in below 1.3 billion. That would be the lowest since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.
“Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” opened at No. 2 with $23.5 million, less than expected.
“Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” got off to a healthy start at No. 3 with a $13 million weekend playing exclusively at huge-screen IMAX theaters and some other large-format cinemas. “Ghost Protocol” goes into general release Wednesday.
