‘Catching Fire’ passes ‘Iron Man 3’ domestically as top 2013 movie
It’s official. Jennifer Lawrence’s “Hunger Games: Catching Fire†became the highest grossing movie released in 2013 in the U.S. and Canada, hitting an estimated cumulative total of more than $409 million in domestic ticket sales, distributor Lionsgate said on Thursday.
By adding about $493,000 to its domestic take Wednesday night, the dystopian action movie overtook the year’s hitherto No. 1 release, Disney’s 3-D superhero adventure “Iron Man 3,†which pulled in slightly less than $409 million in its run. “Catching Fire†has also surpassed the total domestic gross of its 2012 predecessor, “The Hunger Games,†which took in $408 million over its domestic lifespan.
It’s the first time a franchise’s first two installments have grossed more than $400 million each, domestically. Additionally, it’s the first time since 2008 that a non-3-D movie has snagged the top spot for the year (“The Dark Knight†was the biggest film that year).
“Iron Man 3,†released in May, is still ahead of “Catching Fire†overseas, generating $806 million in revenue outside the U.S. and Canada for a worldwide tally of $1.21 billion, whereas “Catching Fire†has yet to cross the $1 billion mark globally. It has collected $838 million worldwide so far, well outpacing the original “Hunger Games.â€
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