Box Office Wrap-Up: HUNGER GAMES makes it four weeks in a row as some STOOGES just can’t hack it
The odds do appear to be distinctly in this film’s favor, as it’s now four for four at the box office.
Making it a solid month at the top of the box office, THE HUNGER GAME nails the number one spot during a week that saw the total gross pop in at roughly 11% lower than this moment in time last year, bringing its total box office gross now to over $500 million.
Hit the jump to see if some Stooges could battle back bad buzz or if they’d be taken out by a CABIN IN THE WOODS.
Now, the number two and three slots are polar opposites. Clocking in at number two is THE THREE STOOGES. That’s right, despite some of the worst buzz a film this year has had so far, it was able to haul in roughly $17 million, beating out number three the rather amazing CABIN IN THE WOODS, which only garnered $15 million. LOCKOUT, the other major new release took the 9th slot, with $6 million.
Thankfully, CABIN IN THE WOODS had the higher per screen average being only $2 million out of the second slot on over 600 fewer screens, with the Hole documentary HIT SO HARD having the week’s highest per-screen average, making only seven thousand dollars, but on one single screen.
Overall, this week is an odd one. HUNGER GAMES winning isn’t all that shocking, but given the public’s love for horror, CABIN being beaten by a horribly reviewed comedy is quite bizarre. CABIN, while featuring a handful of pacing issues and a shockingly low amount of actual scares, is easily one of 2012’s most intellectually stimulating works. Could the tepid response be because of the public’s lack of discussion about the film? I find it hard that someone, hearing about the film, would be inspired to go see it just by someone saying “don’t read anything about it.” Toss in the C grade that the crowds have given it via CinemaScore, and you have a film that is indeed great, but also a tough sell. Lionsgate tried to sell it as a straight up horror film, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s a bleak, pitch black comedy that deals with a handful of really heavy issues be it genre conventions or predestination. Then you have STOOGES, a film that couldn’t be any more hated, based on a trio that frankly don’t have much stock in today’s landscape, and you have just a bizarre weekend.
Go see something good!
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