April didn't quite live up to the first three months of the year, due to the new releases not being quite as potent...April 2012 grossed a total of $720.5 million, down 9% from the record-setting April 2011, and down 4% from April 2010.
The highest-grossing movie of April 2012 was a holdover from March, The Hunger Games. After earning $230 million in its' first eight days, the sci-fi blockbuster earned $139.4 million during its' second month. With $369.4 million in six weeks, the movie is tracking ahead of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part II through the same point.
Second place for the month and first place among all releases from April was two-week #1 Think Like A Man, which earned a strong $61.7 million in 11 days, and tracking way ahead of expectations. The film is expected to reach $100 million by the time it leaves theaters.
Titanic's 3D re-release slotted in third for the month and second among all releases from April with $56.4 million in its' first 26 days. Among recent 3D re-releases, that's up from Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace but down from The Lion King. The re-release will likely finish at $60 million, slightly disappointing, but still bringing the blockbusters' lifetime gross to $660 million domestic and $2.4 billion worldwide.
Ranking second among March holdovers and fourth place for April was Wrath of the Titans, which earned $55.7 million (30 out of its' 32 days played so far were in April). The film has earned $81 million so far, just over half of its' predecessor.
Rounding out the Top 5 for the month (third among all releases) was American Reunion, who picked up $53.7 million in its' first 24 days. That's modest for an R-rated comedy, but its' only just over half of the original American Pie movies. It will struggle to reach $60 million domestic.
Rounding out the Top 5 on April releases were The Lucky One ($40.1 million) and The Three Stooges ($37.1 million), while Mirror Mirror ($45.6 million), 21 Jump Street ($43.3 million), and The Lorax ($21.3 million) rounded out the Top 5 for March holdovers.
Overall box office for 2012 is still doing just fine though. Currently at $3.3 billion, that's up roughly 15% from 2011, but down roughly 3% from 2010. Universal currently leads all studios with $505 million (from hits The Lorax, The Vow and Safe House), while Disney currently is in last place among all studios with $206 million (its' only releases so far are Beauty and the Beast's 3D re-releases and the bomb John Carter).
