“The Hunger Games” huge $155 million opening weekend is the third-highest opening of all-time, right behind “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” ($169.2M) and “The Dark Knight” ($158.4M). The movie shattered expectations and predictions (including mine). Here are some other accomplishments and records it has broken:
– Highest opening weekend for a non-WB film
– Highest opening weekend for a Lionsgate film
– Highest opening weekend for a non-sequel
– Top Spring opening
– Biggest March opening (beating “Alice in Wonderland”)
– Already the highest grossing Lionsgate movie of all-time (beating “Farenheit 9/11”)
– Second biggest Saturday of all-time (barely behind “Spider-Man 3”)
Will “The Hunger Games” have the legs to beat “Wrath of the Titans” next weekend? Absolutely. Even though “Clash of the Titans” opened with $60M+ two years ago, I’m saying “Hunger” will still win next weekend – $65M to $48M.
It’s pretty amazing to have these box office battles in March. After a down 2011, Hollywood is off to a flying start this year, with several more HUGE blockbusters right around the corner.