'Mission: Impossible' scores at the box office Wednesday; 'Dragon Tattoo,' 'Tintin' start OK

"Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" put in a pretty strong showing in IMAX theaters last weekend, and its wide release is off to a solid start as well.

The fourth "M:I" movie starring Tom Cruise made an estimated $6.6 million on Wednesday (Dec. 21), its first full day in wide release, to top the daily chart. It also earned $2 million in early showings Tuesday night to with the IMAX-only opening over the weekend that took in $17.1 million.

"Ghost Protocol" pushed last weekend's top earner, "Sherlock Homes: A Game of Shadows," down to second place Wednesday with $4.3 million. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" opened in third with a good-not-great $3.6 million (plus $1.6 million from Tuesday evening screenings).

Wednesday's other wide release, Steven Spielberg's animated "The Adventures of Tintin," finished in fifth (behind "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked") with an estimated $2.3 million. But anything "Tintin" -- which is based on a beloved cartoon character from Belgium -- makes in the United States will almost be gravy. The movie has been playing overseas for almost two months and has already grossed more than $200 million.

The Christmas weekend schedule gets even more crowded Friday with the opening of "We Bought a Zoo" from director Cameron Crowe. Spielberg's "War Horse" and the thriller "The Darkest Hour" follow on Christmas Day.