Dumb And Dumber To rules US on $36.1m

The $36.1m number one debut from 3,154 theatres — down by $2m from Sunday’s initial estimates — compares favourably with the original’s $16.4m table-topping December 1994 launch via New Line, finishing roughly 30% ahead of that film’s inflation-adjusted $26.3m debut.

Now the question is can Dumb And Dumber To reach the original’s $127.2m final North American gross, which equates to $198.7m in today’s terms.

The other headline of the weekend was SPC’s tremendous launch of Foxcatcher, the awards season contender from Bennett Miller starring Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum. It arrived on $270,877 from six for a sterling $45,146 average.

Disney’s Big Hero 6 – the champion last weekend – fell a modest 38% on $34.7m for $110.3m.

Interstellar is flying high internationally through Warner Bros and dropped one place to number three in its second North American session through Paramount as $28.3m boosted the tally to $96.9m.

Christopher Nolan’s film added $7.4m from 368 US Imax screens as the running total climbed to $25.5m. The overall $20m global haul boosted the Imax level to approximately $50m.

Relativity Media opened the drama Beyond The Lights in fourth place on $6.2m.

St. Vincent held firm in sixth place through the Weinsteins and has reached $33m after six weekends. New Regency’s Birdman broke into the top ten through Fox Searchlight, climbing one place on $2.5m for $11.6m in the fifth sessions.

Nightcrawler ranks eighth in its third weekend and added $2.9m through Open Road for $24.9m en route to what should be a profitable run.

John Stewart’s political drama Rosewater arrived at number 13 through Open Road Films on a mediocre $1.2m from 371, while Samuel Goldwyn opened family title  Saving Christmas at number 15 on $992,087 from 410.

Roadside Attractions in association with Saban Films released Tommy Lee Jones’ The Homesman featuring an acclaimed turn by Hilary Swank. The Western took $45,433 from four sites for an $11,358 average.

Counterpoint Films and Self-Realization Fellowship’s documentary Awake: The Life Of Yogananda distributed via Abramorama added an estimated $41,614 to reach $551,819.

The film passed $500,000 on November 13 and is projected to cross $1m by the end of its run.

Overall box office for the top 12 dropped 11.7% against last weekend and gained 8.3% on the comparable session in 2013, when Thor: The Dark World held firm at number one in its second weekend.

November records could fall this week as Lionsgate prepares to release The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth.

Confirmed Top 10 North America Nov 14-16 2014
Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Dumb And Dumber To (Universal) $36.1m –

2 (1) Big Hero 6 (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $34.7m $110.3m

3 (2) Interstellar (Paramount) Warner Bros Pictures International $28.3m $96.9m

4 (-) Beyond The Lights (Relativity) Relativity International $6.2m –

5 (3) Gone Girl (Fox) Fox International $4.6m $152.6m

6 (6) St. Vincent (TWC) TWC International $3.77m $33m

7 (5) Fury (Sony Pictures) QED International $3.76m $75.9m

8 (4) Ouija (Universal) UPI $2.97m $48m

9 (7) Nightcrawler (Open Road) Sierra/Affinity $2.92m $24.9m

10 (11) Birdman (Fox Searchlight) Fox International $2.5m $11.6m