Audiences have been waiting, and now, they have had their fill as The Hunger Games smashed some serious records this weekend. The book adaptation earned an amazing $152.5 million, for a per-theater average of an incredible $36,871 from around 10,700 screens at 4,137 theaters (crunching numbers down to showtimes, each showtime averaged $1,135 with over 3,000 of the estimated 134,300 showtimes aired this weekend sold out from pre-sales). That is easily higher than Alice in Wonderland's $116.1 million start to claim the highest-grossing opening in the month of March, and was also the third-highest opening weekend of all-time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II ($169.2 million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million) as well as the highest-grossing non-sequel of all-time and beating all of the Twilight films' opening weekends. It also was the first major blockbuster for distributor Lionsgate, who's previous highest-grosser, Farenheight 9/11, had grossed nearly $120 million in its' entire run. With positive reception from critics (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences ("A" CinemaScore), its' very likely even if a typical drop (in blockbuster terms) occurs, it will keep the #1 spot next weekend and will become the years' top-grosser by that time as well. International numbers have been strong as well, earning an additional $60 million from foreign territories this weekend. The film was produced by Lionsgate for $78 million, with an additional $45 million on marketing and promotion and was 2012's fourth film to reach the $100 million mark domestically.
Even with the juggernaut Hunger Games out and about, 21 Jump Street was actually able to hold a gun in the face of its' competitions' bow and arrow. The action comedy eased 44% to $20.5 million, for a 10-day tally of a solid $70.2 million. With that kind of hold, $100 million is now guaranteed, and dependent on how well it holds in the face of next weekend's Wrath of the Titans, it could go higher.
Dr. Suess' The Lorax also held decently in the face of Hunger Games, though it hasn't held up as well in the long run as recent animated films have, easing 42% to $13.2 million and third place. In 24 days, the animated megahit has earned $177.4 million, and its' questionable how well it will hold from here since Mirror Mirror arrives for family audiences next weekend. Meanwhile, John Carter faded further into obscurity and got hit the hardest from the blockbuster, plunging a Top 10-worst 63% to $5.1 million, for a disastrous 17-day tally of $62.4 million, all against a $250 million price tag, despite $170 million already earned overseas.
The rest of the Top 10 wasn't nearly impressive, each earning around $2 million or less...
The rest of the Top 10 wasn't nearly impressive, each earning around $2 million or less...
For what its' worth, Act of Valor held onto the fifth spot and remained in the Top 5 for a fifth straight weekend, down 45% to $2 million, for a strong $65.9 million gross in one month of release. Eddie Murphy comedy A Thousand Words held onto the sixth spot for a third-straight weekend, but tripped 46% to $1.95 million, and has earned a rotten $14.9 million in 17 days. At least it will end up ahead of Imagine That and Meet Dave. Project X began to see its' crowd leave the party, down 52% to $1.9 million and seventh place, for a $51.7 million gross in 24 days.
Now, there's something different in eighth place. Christian drama October Baby, despite playing in just 390 theaters, earned $1.7 million, for a per-theater average of a decent $4,352. This was not initially expected to make it into the Top 10, but its' not entirely surprising either since the bottom half of the Top 10 was filled with holdovers ready to be dumped back into their studio lots. However, this is welcome news for distributor Provident Films/Samuel Goldwyn Films (who had co-distributed Sherwood Pictures films Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and to a lesser extent, Courageous), who had their expectations blown away.
Seventh-weekend holdovers Safe House and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island rounded out the Top 10 with $1.4 million each. The Denzel Washington film dropped 49% and has earned $122.6 million gross in 45 days. The adventure sequel starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson eased 43% and has earned $97.2 million in the same amount of time.
Overall box office was the 9th highest-grossing weekend on record and was up an incredible 71% from last year when family comedy sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules took the top spot with a good $23.8 million, ahead of its' predecessors' opening, but ended up not holding well going forward and finishing behind its' predecessor with just $52 million domestic. Meanwhile, Zac Snyder saw his lowest-grossing effort yet with action flick Sucker Punch, which earned just $19.1 million in second place, on its' way to just south of $40 million domestic and around $85 million worldwide. Limitless and The Lincoln Lawyer followed with strong holds, slipping just 20% and 19% to $15.1 million and $10.8 million. Rango rounded out the Top 5 with a 35% ease to $9.8 million in its' fourth weekend.
Here is the final Top 10:
# Movie Final Numbers Studio Estimates My Predictions
1 The Hunger Games $152,535,747 $155,000,000 $126,000,000
2 21 Jump Street $20,471,187 $21,300,000 $19,000,000
3 Dr. Suess' The Lorax $13,182,045 $13,100,000 $14,000,000
4 John Carter $5,073,832 $5,020,000 $6,500,000
5 Act of Valor $2,041,362 $2,100,000 $1,700,000
6 A Thousand Words $1,950,154 $1,925,000 $1,800,000
7 Project X $1,931,336 $1,950,000 $2,000,000
8 October Baby $1,697,130 $1,718,000 ----
9 Safe House $1,403,035 $1,400,000 $1,400,000
10 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island $1,357,412 $1,373,000 $1,600,000
# Movie Final Numbers Studio Estimates My Predictions
1 The Hunger Games $152,535,747 $155,000,000 $126,000,000
2 21 Jump Street $20,471,187 $21,300,000 $19,000,000
3 Dr. Suess' The Lorax $13,182,045 $13,100,000 $14,000,000
4 John Carter $5,073,832 $5,020,000 $6,500,000
5 Act of Valor $2,041,362 $2,100,000 $1,700,000
6 A Thousand Words $1,950,154 $1,925,000 $1,800,000
7 Project X $1,931,336 $1,950,000 $2,000,000
8 October Baby $1,697,130 $1,718,000 ----
9 Safe House $1,403,035 $1,400,000 $1,400,000
10 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island $1,357,412 $1,373,000 $1,600,000
