In the US, Universal's 'Les Miserables' opened to No. 1 with a box office take of $18.2 million, doing better than expected. Quentin Tarantino's R-rated 'Django Unchained' came in second with $15 million. Theater fans have been waiting for the film version of the Victor Hugo hit because it combines a star-studded cast with a theatrical approach to making a musical film. Actors don't prerecord their songs in the studio which is the way it's normally done. Instead, with just a piano funnelled into their earphones, actresses like Anne Hathaway are filmed singing live while they're acting - a technique that promises a more emotional experience.

Read more about box office numbers on the Hollywood Reporter and watch the actors and actresses talk about the movie's new approach to live singing.