Box Office: Final 'Hunger Games' Opens to Series-Low $101M in U.S.; Earns $247M Globally
Seth Rogen’s R-rated comedy The Night Before performs on the lower end of expectations, while The Secret in Their Eyes marks the worst start of Julia Roberts’ career for a title opening in more than 2,000 locations; Carol shines at specialty box office.
By Pamela McClintock
Katniss Everdeen’s last stand at the box office saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 opening to a franchise-low $101 million in North America for a worldwide bow of $247 million.
While that’s a hefty start, Mockingjay 2 came in behind expectations even on a global basis. The $160 million tentpole, starring Jennifer Lawrence, had hoped to beat the $274.9 million worldwide start of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 on the same weekend a year ago, considering it had the advantage of rolling out day and date in 87 markets, including China, where it underperformed over the weekend with $16.4 million (that compares to $21.9 million for Mockingjay 1).
In North America, Mockingjay 2’s debut was down 17 percent from the $121.9 million opening of Mockingjay — Part 1, and 36 percent from the massive $158 million launch of sequel The Hunger Games: Catching Fire two years ago. Globally, the tentpole was off 10 percent from the last title.
The movie enjoyed the biggest day-and-date release of the year to date and the widest in Lionsgate’s history, taking in $146 million internationally. It opened No. 1 in 81 markets, led by the U.K. with $17.1 million, followed by China, Germany ($14.4 million), Mexico ($8.7 million) and France ($7.1 million), where it wasn’t that far behind the $10 million debut of Mockingjay 1 despite the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris. Australia and Brazil followed with $6.8 million each, while Russia turned in $6.7 million.
Some box-office observers question whether it was wise to break Suzanne Collins’ final book into two movies, both of which received lukewarm reviews compared to the first two installments (audiences liked Mockingjay 2 better than critics, giving it an A- CinemaScore). Early exit polls show that 63 percent of the audience is female, while 52 percent are under the age of 25, according to Rentrak. Those between the ages of 18 and 24 make up the biggest chunk of ticket buyers at 37 percent.
In 2012, The Hunger Games made history when launching to $152 million in North America, then one of the top openings of all time and the best showing ever for a movie featuring a female lead. It was also a defining moment for Lionsgate, in addition to catapulting Lawrence to fame.
Read More: Jennifer Lawrence’s 10 Best ‘Hunger Games’ Looks Through the Years
Mockingjay – Part 2 follows Katniss as she fights against the corrupt government of Panem and its ruthless leader, President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Catching Fire helmer Francis Lawrence returns to direct, and the film also stars Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The weekend’s two other new films also came in behind industry expectations, resulting in overall tumbling 11 percent from a year ago, and 24 percent from two years ago.
Levine’s holiday comedy The Night Before, starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie, opened to $10 million from 2,690 theaters for a fourth-place finish behind Mockingjay 2, Spectre ($14.5 million) and The Peanuts Movie ($12.8 million). As a way of comparison, Rogen’s This Is the End debuted to $20.7 million.
From Sony, Night Before following three friends who reunite for their traditional Christmas Eve rager in New York City. The $26 million, R-rated comedy hopes to remain a strong draw for younger moviegoers throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, buoyed by an A-CinemaScore.
Night Before skewed male (55 percent), with 52 percent of the audience under the age of 25 (only 7 percent were over the age of 45), according to Rentrak.
Read More: 'The Night Before’ Premiere: Seth Rogen Says He May “Rewatch” 'The Interview’
Secret in Their Eyes, starring Roberts opposite Chiwetel Efjiofor and Nicole Kidman, opened to an estimated $6.6 million from 2,392 locations, the worst start of Roberts’ career for a movie opening in 2,000 or more theaters. Bill Ray’s film is the second release from STX Entertainment after sleeper hit The Gift, and is a remake of the 2010 Argentinian movie that won the Oscar for best-foreign language film.
The film follows a D.A. investigator (Roberts) whose life is upended when her daughter is murdered. Two colleagues, an FBI investigator (Ejiofor) and a prosecutor (Kidman), come to her aid but the killer eludes justice. More than a decade later, a new lead is uncovered and the trio vow to avenge the crime. STX partnered with Route One Entertainment in paying $6.5 million for domestic rights to the indie film, which IM Global is handling overseas.
Secret in Their Eyes likewise hopes to play throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, although poor reviews and a B- CinemaScore could make the going tough. Older females are the key demo, with 76 percent of ticket buyers over the age of 25, including 22 percent over the age of 55.
The movie is the latest fall title boasting big stars to struggle. Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt’s By the Sea, expanding into a total of 126 theaters in its second weekend, continued to fare miserably, grossing $185,000 for a location average of $1,470 and cume of $313,000 for Universal.
Read More: Julia Roberts Talks 'Secret in Their Eyes’ at L.A. Premiere
One adult film proving an exception is Todd Haynes’ awards contender Carol, starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson and Kyle Chandler. The Weinstein Co. opened Carol, a lesbian drama set in the 1950s, in four theaters in New York and Los Angles this weekend for a weekend gross of $248,149 and location average of $62,032, one of the best showings of the year to date.
Director Brian Helgeland’s Legend, starring Tom Hardy, also opening in four theaters in Los Angeles and New York, opened to $83,000 for a location average of $20,271. The movie, from Studio Canal, Working Title Films and Cross Creek Pictures, is being released by Universal in the U.S. and stars Tom Hardy in a double turn as two of London’s most notorious gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray.
Legend has prospered in the U.K. and Ireland with more than $28 million in ticket sales there.
Among other specialty titles, Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight made a major push in its third weekend, expanding into a total of 599 theaters and moving into the top 10 chart with an estimated $3.6 million for a domestic total of roughly $5.8 million. The movie, posting a location average north of $6,206, placed No. 8.
Brooklyn, expanding into a total of 111 locations in its third outing, posted a hearty location of $10,480 after grossing $1.1 million and moving up to No. 12. The Fox Searchlight title has grossed $2.6 million to date.
Read More: Cate Blanchett in Talks to Star in 'Where’d You Go, Bernadette?’ Adaptation
(Photo: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2’ Murray Close/Lionsgate)
