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‘Hunger Games’ Defeats the ’90s at the Box Office

Despite being a three-week-old leftover, blockbuster The Hunger Games crushed the return of 1990s properties American Reunion and Titanic 3D. The adaptation also cruised past the $300-million mark domestically.

After its expected large drop last weekend following a towering $152.5-million debut, Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games stabilized in its third weekend, dropping only 43 percent to a strong $33.1 million. This was more than enough to take the top spot for a third straight week and up its domestic tally to an astonishing $302.5 million.

That puts The Hunger Games at No. 37 on the all-time North American list, in between other franchise behemoths Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Worldwide, the runaway smash has grossed a massive $459.6 million, easily taking the 2012 box office crown.


Debuting below the grosses of the previous two installments in the franchise, American Reunion returned to the tune of $21.5 million and $40.8 million globally. Even if “Reunion” experiences normal comedy legs, this will be the first film in the two-decade series to not join the century club. Like Scream 4, this delayed third sequel only brought out original fans who were still interested, failing to convince a new generation that this was a must-see comedy.


The Top 10

1. The Hunger Games - $33.1M (weekend)...$302.5M (gross)
2. American Reunion - $21.5M...$21.5M
3. Titanic 3D - $17.3M...$25.6M
4. Wrath of the Titans - $14.7M...$58.6M
5. Mirror Mirror - $11.1M...$36.7M
6. 21 Jump Street - $109.4M
7. The Lorax - $5.0M...$198.2M
8. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - $0.9M...$4.7M
9. Housefull 2 - $0.8M...$0.8M
10. John Carter - $0.8M...$67.9M


Despite also failing to break out as strongly as anticipated, Titanic 3D nevertheless sailed off to $17.3 million over the weekend, $25.7 million over five days and $61.1 million worldwide. Compared to other 3D re-releases, Titanic was behind The Lion King 3D but up on Toy Story/Toy Story 2, Beauty and the Beast and Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. With little else targeting older females in the coming weeks, Titanic 3D should experience legs reminiscent of its 1997 debut.

Adding 130 theaters, Indonesian action spectacle The Raid: Redemption climbed to 12th, adding $526,292 to its notable North American gross of $1.3 million. For a subtitled, no-star effort, Sony Picture Classics is doing a fine job of making this import as a must-see event for action aficionados.

As April rolls along, three wide releases join the race next weekend led in force by The Farelly Brothers’ The Three Stooges which yuks it up in 3,500 theaters. Guy Pearce will then try his hand at escaping from a space prison in Lockout which secures 3,400 houses and revisionist horror flick The Cabin in the Woods will look for blood in 2,600. Finally, the aforementioned The Raid: Redemption will go big in wide release as it attacks 650 theaters. Despite the competition, The Hunger Games has a good chance of reigning once again.

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