‘Hunger Games’ blazes at top of N. American box office

This publicity photo released by Lionsgate shows Jennifer Lawrence (left) as Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark in a scene from the film, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” The movie opens in theaters Friday, Nov. 22, 2013, in what’s expected to be one of the year’s biggest box-office debuts. AP

LOS ANGELES – “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” blazed at the top of the North American weekend box office for a second week, earning $74.5 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The second installment of the blockbuster franchise had debuted last week with the sixth-best opening weekend of all time according to Exhibitor Relations (ERC).

The series stars Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a teenager forced into a deadly battle for survival in the macabre post-apocalyptic kingdom of Panem.

Disney’s computer-animated winter adventure “Frozen” received a warm box-office reception, landing in second place in its second week out, earning some $66.7 million in weekend sales.

Falling to third place was “Thor: The Dark World,” the latest movie based on Marvel’s iconic comic book character, which took in $11.1 million in its fourth weekend.

Romantic Christmas comedy “The Best Man Holiday,” a sequel 15 years in the making to “The Best Man,” in which old college friends reignite old romances and rivalries, took in nearly $8.5 million for fourth place.

“Homefront” an action-thriller about a former drug enforcement officer forced to battle a meth druglord in small-town America, was in fifth place, taking in nearly $7.0 million in its debut week.

Coming in sixth was “Delivery Man.” The comedy, starring veteran funnyman Vince Vaughn as a sperm donor who discovers he has sired 533 children, earned $6.9 million.

World War II drama “The Book Thief,” about a girl who steals and shares books in Nazi Germany, came in seventh, earning nearly $4.9 million in its fourth week out.

Debuting in eighth place with $3.9 million was Christmas drama “Black Nativity” about an urban youth who takes a life-changing trip to New York for the holidays.
Falling to ninth place was “Last Vegas,” starring Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline on a seniors’ bachelor party to Sin City. It earned $2.8 million.

And rounding out the top ten was “Gravity,” with Oscar-winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts adrift in space after a devastating accident, earning $2.6 million.