Hunger Games: Mockingjay earns year’s best box office opening

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 dominated the box office this weekend with an estimated $123 million, making it the largest opening weekend so far in 2014. The previous record holder was Transformers: Age of Extinction with $100 million. In the first part of the epic finale, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) embraces her role as the Mockingjay while also trying to find a way to keep her loved ones safe from President Snow.

Despite the massive opening, this is a low point for the franchise. The series’ previous installments The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire earned over $150 million on their respective weekend debuts. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 currently has a 3 star Tribute user rating.

Disney’s Big Hero 6 held on to the number two spot this week with $20 million in its third week. The Marvel comic-inspired animation is currently holding a 4.3 star Tribute user rating. Meanwhile Interstellar stayed strong at number three with $15 million and has a 3.9 star Tribute user rating.

In the fourth spot this week, dropping from the top spot, was the comedy Dumb and Dumber To (3.6 Tribute user rating) with $13.8 million in its second week. Holding on to the fifth spot is Gone Girl (3.6 star Tribute user rating) with $2.8 million. This makes it the eighth straight week that Gone Girl has remained in the top five. ~Kelly Townsend