'Catching Fire' ablaze at box office with $135M

11/23/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Box-Office-2

    This image released by Lionsgate shows Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, from left, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket and Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in a scene from "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." The movie opens in theaters Friday, Nov. 22, 2013, in what's expected to be one of the year's biggest box-office debuts. (AP Photo/Lionsgate, Murray Close)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” has grossed $70.5 million domestically and $64 million internationally, bringing its total to $135 million, the studio reported today.

    Numbers were from Friday’s opening day, but includes some scattered preview shows on Thursday night. The sequel gained $25.3 million from Thursday night screenings.

    Totals for “Catching Fire” are an expected to reach $150 million domestically over the weekend, though some reports estimated a $170 million opener.

    The impressive opening of “Catching Fire” will mark the biggest November opening ever and the eighth-highest domestic opening to date. “The Hunger Games,” with $67.3 million its opening night, was the sixth-largest weekend opener with $152.5 million. “The Avengers” sits at No. 1 with $207.4 million.