Cumulatively, this was one of the worst weekends of the year at the domestic box office, as the top 12 movies combined for an estimated $70.4 million (tied for second worst of the year). But hey, that’s what happens when the widest release is The Pyramid, in 589 theaters (apparently 600 is the threshhold after which a release is considered “nationwide”). Without much in the way of new competition, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 eased 62 percent, to $21.6 million domestic for the weekend (Catching Fire was down 65 percent in the same weekend) as audiences weren’t put off by the excessive punctuation in the title. More importantly, Mock1ngjay will soon pass The LEGO Movie and Captain America 2 for the second-biggest movie of the year in domestic box office behind Guardians of the Galaxy.
Domestic standings so far:
1. Guardians of the Galaxy, $332.215
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, $259.766
3. The LEGO Movie, $257.760
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, $257.7
5. Transformers: Age Of Extinction, $245.439
6. Maleficent, $241.410
7. X-Men: Days of Future Past, $233.921
8. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, $208.545
9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, $202.853
10. Godzilla, $200.676
Worldwide:
1 Transformers: Age of Extinction $1,087.4 (million)
2 Guardians of the Galaxy $771.8
3 Maleficent $757.8
4 X-Men: Days of Future Past $746.0
5 Captain America: The Winter Soldier $714.1
6 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 $709.0
7 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes $708.3
8 How to Train Your Dragon 2 $618.
9 Interstellar $593.1
10 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 $560.5
Elsewhere, Exodus: Gods And Kings opened early in some international markets this weekend, ahead of its US release this weekend, to solid results:
The biblical epic drew big numbers in Catholic-friendly markets, including $4.7 million in Mexico, $3.8 million in Spain and a massive $6.2 million in South Korea, the biggest opening ever for Scott. [THR]
Catholic markets, eh? Interesting. Who knew that the same people who shelled out big to see the Jews kill Jesus in Passion would be just as excited to see them become the chosen people? Also, Christian Bale plays Moses and God is represented by a small English boy in Exodus, which seems to suggest that the British are the chosen people. I guess that’s why they get to be Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Moses, God, and Smaug.