Hunger Games leads box office charts

The action film has third-highest domestic opening weekend.

The post-apocalyptic action film The Hunger Games opened with a staggering $155 million at US and Canadian box offices, the highest domestic opening for a film that isn’t a sequel, and established what may become one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster franchises, reported Reuters.

Internationally, the Lions Gate Entertainment drama about an oppressive society’s teen death match added $59.3 million from 67 markets for a global haul of $214.3 million. The massive US and Canadian debut for the film ranked as the third-highest domestic opening weekend in history behind only last summer’s Harry Potter finale and 2008 Batman movie The Dark Knight, Lions Gate said on Sunday.

Weekend toppers

Comedy 21 Jump Street took second place for the weekend with $21.3 million, and animated Dr Seuss’ The Lorax finished third with $13.1 million. Disney sci-fi adventure John Carter pulled in $5 million, and military drama Act of Valour grossed $2.1 million.

The only other new face in the top 10 belongs to October Baby, which came in at sixth place. The film is a limited release from the folks behind recent faith-based hits like Fireproof and Courageous. The film, which concerns the spiritually-uplifting subject of abortion, opened briefly last fall and was re-released this weekend in 390 locations. Coming in at seventh place was Act of Valor, a war film starring active duty US Navy Seals. In eighth place was Eddie Murphy’s comedy, A Thousand Words, which earned $6.35 million.

In ninth place was CIA-based thriller Safe House, starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. In 10th place was, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, a family-friendly 3D adventure starring former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

(With additional information from Collider.com)

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2012.