‘Sniper’ shoots down Super Bowl weekend record with $31.9M

By Jake Coyle, Associated Press

Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015 | 2:01 p.m.

"American Sniper" shot down another box-office record: Its $31.9 million is the biggest Super Bowl weekend gross ever.

According to studio estimates Sunday, the Clint Eastwood film narrowly surpassed the previous top Super Bowl weekend draw at the North American box office. The concert film "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" opened with $31.1 million against the NFL's big game in 2008.

Hollywood often avoids competing with the Super Bowl as movie-going falls dramatically on Sunday, but "American Sniper" has proven an unlikely sensation. It has now made $248.9 million in six weeks (and only three weeks of wide release), making it the most lucrative war movie without adjusting for inflation. (The distinction was previously held by Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan.")

The competition was thin, as Hollywood held off any high-profile releases, effectively ceding the weekend to football.

The Weinstein Co. animated adaptation "Paddington" came in a distant second with $8.5 million in its third weekend. In a virtual tie with it was Paramount's found-footage, time-traveling thriller "Project Almanac."

Made by Michael Bay's production company, Platinum Dunes, "Project Almanac" led a trio of new releases with modest box-office ambitions.

"Black or White," a racially-charged custody drama that reteams Kevin Costner with "The Upside of Anger" director Mike Binder, opened in fourth with $6.5 million. Costner put up his own money to help finance the film, which Relativity Media distributed.

Open Road's "The Loft," a much-delayed remake of a 2008 Dutch thriller directed by its original filmmaker, Erik Van Looy, attracted little interest. It made just $2.9 million.

That wasn't much more than the $1.5 million pulled in by a package of TV reruns. The HBO series "Game of Thrones" earned that in 205 Imax theaters by showing previously aired episodes ahead of the April debut of the show's fifth season.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "American Sniper," $31.9 million ($11.1 million international).

2. "Paddington," $8.5 million.

3. "Project Almanac," $8.5 million.

4. "Black or White," $6.5 million.

5. "The Boy Next Door," $6.1 million.

6. "The Wedding Ringer," $5.7 million.

7. "The Imitation Game," $5.2 million.

8. "Taken 3," $3.7 million ($21.2 million international).

9. "Strange Magic," $3.4 million.

10. "The Loft," $2.9 million.

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "Chinese Running Brother," $35 million.

2. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies," $22.4 million.

3. "Taken 3," $21.2 million.

4. "Big Hero 6," $20.1 million.

5. "Boonie Bears Movie 2," $14.5 million.

6. "American Sniper," $11.1 million.

7. "The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," $8 million.

8. "The Theory of Everything," $7.5 million.

9. "Kingsman: The Secret Service," $7.2 million.

10. "Penguins of Madagascar," $7.1 million.