Weekend Box-Office: April 20-22, 2012

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

The guys finally defeat Katniss!

After annihilating all competitors for a month straight, post-apocalyptic heroine Katniss Everdeen finally got knocked from the top of the heap as both THINK LIKE A MAN and THE LUCKY ONE scored higher at the box office than THE HUNGER GAMES.

The comedy THINK LIKE A MAN took first prize with $33 million, in a surprising performance that was almost twice what Sony reportedly expected. Based on a book by comedian/Family Feud host Steve Harvey, the low-cost movie ($12M) was directed by Tim Story, who previously sat in the chair for the substantially more expensive FANTASTIC FOUR and its sequel. The apparent appeal of standup comic Kevin Hart and an attractive African-American cast help post figures (a whopping $16k per-screen, more than twice that of anything in the Top 10 but only at 2000 locations) that might make Tyler Perry jealous to see this one open to almost what his last movie (GOOD DEEDS) made in total.

As Jerry “Turtle” Ferrara breathes a sigh of relief at his post-“Entourage” career extension, so does the growing-up Zac Efron, whose romance THE LUCKY ONE plucked at the ladies’ heartstrings to the tune of $22.8 million and a second place landing. While Efron’s voice recently found success in the CG-animated THE LORAX, his last leading-man movie CHARLIE ST. CLOUD was largely ignored by audiences. But this time he had material from author Nicholas Sparks (THE NOTEBOOK, DEAR JOHN), which clearly helped.

THE HUNGER GAMES is still playing the survival game quite well in third place with another $14.5M, now with a total of $356.9M and the potential to cross the $400 million mark before it finally tires. The sharp aim of Jennifer Lawrence and the (likely) repeat viewings of the fanbase kept it ahead of Disney’s simian documentary CHIMPANZEE, which swung into fourth place with a $10.2 million opening. 

Speaking of monkeying around, THE THREE STOOGES got slapped down to fifth place with $9.2M, ahead of another new release from last weekend, the long-delayed horror movie THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, which brought in $7.7M. Buzz and word-of-mouth don’t seem to be helping too much there — perhaps Lionsgate should’ve held on a little longer to coast on (CABIN co-writer/producer) Joss Whedon’s THE AVENGERS hype?

Things were relatively quiet after that, with AMERICAN REUNION, TITANIC 3D, the hit 21 JUMP STREET and the not-hit MIRROR MIRROR each grabbing a few million. Last weekend’s other new release, the Luc Besson-produced sci-fi/action flick LOCKOUT, has already disappeared from the Top 10, along with WRATH OF THE TITANS, and THE LORAX after nearly two months on the chart.

Next week brings in a few new contenders such as the R-rated Apatow-produced comedy THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT, the John Cusack Poe thriller THE RAVEN, the Aardman animated THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS, the Jack Black/Richard Linklater dark comedy BERNIE, and the latest Jason Statham action flick SAFE … and then the summer movie season finally officially kicks off on May 3 with THE AVENGERS! How excited are you for THE AVENGERS? VOTE HERE!