Those Penguins Of Madagascar waddle in second
This past week, America celebrated Thanksgiving, which usually means slipping into a food coma while relatives squabble on the Thursday before millions brave packed stores and violent fellow shoppers to pick up bargains on Black Friday. The holiday can also act as a boost for Hollywood, as families seek somewhere to sit in darkness and not talk/entertain the kids. So figures can be inflated as films arrive on Wednesday and Thursday, but that didn’t help the new arrivals facing off against The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
Despite concerns it was down in earning power compared to the previous franchise entries, the first half of the Mockingjay story still handily won its second weekend, taking in $56.8 million and boosting its US total to $225.6 million. The only wide-release competitor to even come close was DreamWorks Animations’ The Penguins Of Madagascar in second, which managed $25.8 million ($36 million if you add in the days its was on release before the weekend). It’s by far the lowest opening for the series if you count this spin-off as part of the Madagascar world, and points to the Penguins not quite achieving the momentum they needed to carry their own franchise, even if they did score a TV series. It'll be interesting to see whether Universal/Illumination's Minions can succeed outside of the Despicable Me films next year.
Disney’s Big Hero 6 only seemed to take a minor hit from the new cartoon competition, with Baymax and co. slipping one place to third for $18.7 million and $165 million so far, with plenty of international territories left to explore. Interstellar also fell a place, landing in fourth with $15.8 million. New arrival Horrible Bosses 2 could only claim fifth, earning just $15.7 million for the weekend and $23 million across five days, a far cry from the original 2011 film, which took in $28.3 million without the benefit of additional days on release. Don’t expect to see Horrible Bosses 3 shoved into pre-production too quickly assuming it even gets made.
Dumber And Dumber To took damage on the comedy front, down two places to sixth with $8.2 million, while Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory Of Everything expanded its screen count and surged up the charts, making $5 million for a $9.6 million running total. Gone Girl was down to eighth, earning $2.4 million, with Birdman staying in ninth for $1.8 million and St. Vincent sinking to 10th with $1.7 million.
To see Katniss put the hurt on Skipper and the crew in the full chart listings, head to Box Office Mojo.
from Empire News
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