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After spending an elusive third straight week at #1, 'The Hunger Games' now ranks among the biggest box-office successes in history.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Josh Hutcherson in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate
For the third weekend in a row, "The Hunger Games" proved its power as a serious box-office champion. Two competitors stood a chance to take the top spot, but both "American Reunion" and "Titanic 3D" fell short, leaving "The Hunger Games" at the top with earnings of nearly $303 million since its debut.
Now that "The Hunger Games" has racked up its third consecutive weekend at #1, it seems like an appropriate time to see where the film stands among the all-time box-office champs, what records have been broken and what records still stand.
Consecutive Weekends
With so many movies coming out each week, it's often difficult for a film to retain the top spot in its second weekend, let alone its third. Repeat weekends have become a mark of true success at the box office and signs of a real hit. With this weekend, "The Hunger Games" became the first film in 2012 to spend three straight weeks at #1. The most recent movie to achieve that was "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" back in November of last year.
Versus "Twilight"
Speaking of the vampire romance series, "The Hunger Games" officially passed the highest-grossing film in "The Twilight Saga," "Eclipse." The third "Twilight" movie grossed just over $300 million, right behind where "The Hunger Games" stands after its third weekend. Many had compared the two series throughout the lead-up to "The Hunger Games," but since its debut "The Hunger Games" has thrived off word-of-mouth and a larger male audience than "Twilight."
Champion of 2012
Right from the start of the summer movie season, the biggest tentpole films of the year already have a film to beat. "The Hunger Games" is far and away the highest money earner of the year so far. Its total gross currently stands roughly $104 million ahead of its closest competition, "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax." The toughest competition has yet to come, however. With releases like "The Avengers," "The Dark Knight Rises" and the first "Hobbit" still on the lineup for 2012, it will be difficult for "The Hunger Games" to hold onto that spot.
Opening Week
So much of the "Hunger Games" buzz came from its enormous opening weekend, the third best of all time behind "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" and "The Dark Knight." With a $152 million bow, it also ranks as the best March and spring opening ever.
All Time
Granted the movie is only three weeks old, "The Hunger Games" still has a long way to go before ranking among the highest earners of all time. It currently stands at #37 behind "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."
Do you think "The Hunger Games" will be the highest-grossing film of 2012, or will "The Dark Knight Rises" take the glory? Leave your comment below!
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
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