For the third week straight, American Sniper owned the box office. The film took the record for Super Bowl weekend openings with $31.9 million, topping the $31.1 million thatHannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds brought in in 2008. The film has now pulled in $248.9 million domestically and $296.4 million worldwide; it is looking likely for $300 million to $325 million by the end of its domestic run. The film’s budget was only $58.8 million.
The weekend box office was $102 million, up 18% from last year’s $86.1 million take that was led by Ride Along’s $12 million third weekend.
Note: Numbers include Sunday estimates and are three-day estimates. A studio recoups 55% of a film’s grosses on average, meaning it needs to approximately double its budget to be profitable during its theatrical run.
BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Numbers)
1. American Sniper – $31.9 million ($248.9 million total)
2. Paddington – $8.5 million ($50.5 million total)
3. Project Almanac – $8.5 million ($8.5 million total)
4. Black or White – $6.5 million ($6.5 milion total)
5. The Boy Next Door – $6.1 million ($24.7 million total)
6. The Wedding Ringer – $5.7 million ($48.1 million total)
7. The Imitation Game – $5.2 million ($68 million total)
8. Taken 3 – $3.7 million ($81.4 million total)
9. Strange Magic – $3.4 million ($9.9 million total)
10. The Loft – $2.9 million ($2.9 million total)