Mockingjay – Part 1 Stays No. 1 for Holiday
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 remained in first place last weekend with a three-day take of $56.97 million. The third installment of Lionsgate Entertainment’s blockbuster franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence took in $82.67 million over the five-day period. Mockingjay – Part 1 was down 53 percent from its opening weekend. In comparison, last year’s The Hunger Games: Catching Fire fell 53 percent in its second weekend to gross $74.18 million. Mockingjay – Part 1 surpassed the $200 million mark last weekend and has grossed $225.68 million in 10 days. While Mockingjay – Part 1 is already the seventh highest grossing domestic release of 2014, the film is running a significant 24 percent behind the $296.29 million 10-day take of Catching Fire.
Penguins of Madagascar placed a distant second with $25.45 million over the three-day period. The 3D computer animated film from 20th Century Fox and DreamWorks Animation grossed $35.44 million in its first five days, which is below pre-release expectations. Compared to previous Thanksgiving family releases, Penguins of Madagascar opened 10 percent ahead of the $32.34 million five-day start of 2012’s Rise of the Guardiansand 15 percent below the $41.52 million five-day start of 2012’s The Muppets. Penguins of Madagascar is set to mark another underwhelming domestic performer for DreamWorks Animation; as it joins the likes of 2012’s Rise of the Guardians, 2013’s Turbo and to a lesser extent this year’s Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
Horrible Bosses 2 was off to an even softer start last weekend with a fifth place take of $15.46 million over the three-day period. The comedy sequel from Warner Bros. Studios took in $22.77 million over the five-day frame, which was below expectations that had already been scaled back a bit due in part to the film’s poor critical reviews. Horrible Bosses 2 opened 37 percent behind the $36.13 million five-day start of 2011’s Horrible Bosses, which opened on a Friday. Horrible Bosses 2 was hurt by its poor reviews, though the film may be going over a bit better with moviegoers.
The combined performances of Penguins of Madagascar and Horrible Bosses 2 last weekend indicate that moviegoers continue to have sequel fatigue in 2014.
Thanks in part to the softer than expected starts of both Penguins of Madagascarand Horrible Bosses 2, Walt Disney Animation Studio’s Big Hero 6 and Paramount Pictures’ Interstellar both held up nicely last weekend. Big Hero 6 finished in third for the weekend with $18.82 million, which was down a slim 6 percent from the previous weekend. The 3D computer animated film took in $26.02 million over the five-day period. Big Hero 6 has grossed $167.22 million through 24 days of release.
Interstellar claimed fourth place over the weekend with $15.74 million. The Christopher Nolan directed sci-fi film was up 3 percent over the previous weekend. Interstellar took in an estimated $21.96 million over the five-day period and has grossed $147.04 million through 24 days of release. While Interstellar continues to perform below expectations, the film is displaying very solid holding power, due in part to good word of mouth, continued IMAX grosses and from skewing heavily towards older moviegoers.
Universal Pictures’ Dumb and Dumber Totook sixth place with $8.36 million over the three-day period. Despite the poorer than expected performance of Horrible Bosses 2, Dumb and Dumber To still took a hit last weekend, as it was down a sharp 41 percent from the previous weekend. Dumb and Dumber To took in $11.66 million over the five-day frame and has grossed a solid $72.24 million in 17 days.
The Theory of Everything had a very promising expansion last weekend with a three-day take of $5.01 million. That placed the awards season hopeful from Focus Features in seventh place among all films last weekend. The film has grossed $9.53 million in 24 days and should continue to hold up well going forward.
This Week | Last Week | Movie | Weekend Gross | Cumulative Gross | Weeks |
1 | 1 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 | $56.97M | $225.68 | 2 |
2 | N/A | Penguins of Madagascar | $25.45M | $35.44M | 1 |
3 | 2 | Big Hero 6 | $18.82M | $167.22M | 4 |
4 | 3 | Interstellar | $15.74M | $147.04M | 4 |
5 | NA | Horrible Bosses 2 | $15.46M | $22.77M | 1 |
6 | 4 | Dumb and Dumber To | $8.54M | $72.24M | 3 |
7 | 10 | The Theory of Everything | $5.01M | $9.53M | 4 |
8 | 5 | Gone Girl | $2.47M | $160.75M | 10 |
9 | 9 | Birdman | $1.87M | $17.22M | 7 |
10 | 7 | St. Vincent | $1.70M | $39.60M | 8 |
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.