The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 topped the US box office with a gargantuan haul of $123m at the weekend, the highest opening of 2014 so far.
Rival studios were unwilling to compete with Lionsgate’s blockbuster sci fi sequel, resulting in no other new films hitting the top 10. However, Mockingjay part 1’s haul was significantly down on the $150m plus openings secured by the series’ two previous instalments, 2012’s The Hunger Games and last year’s Catching Fire.
The lower-than-expected total is likely the result of lukewarm reviews for the third film in the series. Audiences may also have baulked at Lionsgate’s controversial decision to film Suzanne Collins’ final Hunger Games novel in two parts. However, the saga still becomes the first ever to feature its first three films opening in excess of $120m in North America. The film’s total outside the US, $152m in 85 territories, was four per cent up on Catching Fire.
Disney Animation comic book riff Big Hero Six remained in second place in its third week of release with another $20.1m for a total of $135.7m. Christopher Nolan space epic Interstellar held third spot - also in its third week - with a haul of $15.1m for a total of $120.7m. The top five was rounded out by last week’s No 1 Dumb and Dumber To, the Jim Carrey sequel taking another $13.8m in fourth, and David Fincher thriller Gone Girl, with another $2.8m in fifth.
US box office top 10 (21 - 23 November)
1. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, $123m, new
2. Big Hero 6, $20.1m, $135.7m
3. Interstellar, $15.1m, $120.7m
4. Dumb and Dumber To, $13.8m, $57.5m
5. Gone Girl, $2.8m, $156.8m
6. Beyond the Lights, $2.6m, $10.1m
7. St Vincent, $2.4m, $36.6m
8. Fury, $1.9m, $79.2m
9. Birdman, $1.9m, $14.4m
10. The Theory of Everything, $1.5m, $2.8m
