“'Mockingjay” posts best debut of 2014

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” soared to the largest opening day of the year at the US box office, with $55 million on Friday. The third installment in the Lionsgate franchise is on its way to north of $130 million this weekend, which would be the best debut of 2014.

But Despite the strong showing, the film is far behind the first two movies, grossing 20% less than its predecessors. Early US box office projections for “Mockingjay” were as high as $150 million.

“The Hunger Games” launched to $152 million in 2012 and last year's sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” debuted to $158 million. However, the film is taking off overseas, having earned more than $67.5 million in three days at the international box office.

Internationally, “Mockingjay” was the top opener of the year in nearly every market. It's now showing in 85 territories since hitting theaters on Wednesday, making it the biggest day-and-date release of the year and Lionsgate's widest release of all time.

If the weekend estimate holds, “Mockingjay” will have the highest-grossing opening of 2014 by a long shot, easily overtaking “Transformers: Age of Extinction”, which opened to $100 million in June. Only 15 other films have reached $120 million domestically in their debuts, led by Marvel's “The Avengers” with $207.4 million in 2012.

The film has accumulated $8.2 million in two days in the UK, hit $6 million during the same time frame in Germany and $5.3 million in Russia.

As for the rest of the US box office, “Big Hero 6” was a distant second. Disney's animated hit is headed for $19 million-plus in its third frame, which would raise its cumulative to $135 million.

Last weekend's winner, “Dumb and Dumber To,” came in third on Friday, followed by Paramount's “Interstellar” and Fox's thriller “Gone Girl”.

Source: Variety