NOTE: Because of the last two days of March landing on a weekend, it is difficult to predict this early what the total gross for March will be...
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The box office keeps on rocking and rolling as March provided a second-straight record-breaking month. 2012 was officially the biggest grossing March ever with an early rough estimate of $949 million, up 28% from 2011 and up 12% from 2010, which is even more impressive given the fact that that year was led by Alice in Wonderland and a still-going Avatar.
With its' $152.5 million opening weekend, The Hunger Games easily topped the month with an estimated $231 million, easily the strongest showing for a film released in March and the sixth-largest film of all-time through its' first seven days. The film should hold the top spot again next weekend, and continue playing well through mid-April, on its' way to $350+ million stateside.
There were other impressive films too though. Dr. Suess' The Lorax, although it came in second place for the month, had the best showing for an animated film since Tangled, lassoing in an estimated $186 million since its' debut back at the beginning of the month. The film should get an Easter boost and easily finish north of $200 million stateside.
Third for the month was 21 Jump Street, which also did solid business for an R-rated comedy. The Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill comedy took in an estimated $86.7 million, and is very well headed for a finish near $120 million. John Carter, despite winding up in fourth place for March, had the month's most disappointing run with just an estimated $65.3 million in four weeks. That may not sound disappointing, but considering that it had a $250 million budget, that very real fact should change your thinking.
Teenage party comedy Project X rounded out the Top 5 for the month with an estimated $53.6 million, which while isn't as high as Chronicle in found-footage standards, still is pretty solid in its' own right.
Meanwhile, the biggest-grossing holdover from February was Act of Valor, which earned an estimated $37.3 million from its' second week of release onward.
