Cap (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” (AP/Marvel-Disney)
IN A SHOWDOWN of franchise sequels, the red-white-and-blue Cap held off a male blue macaw.
A week after its record-setting April opening, Disney/Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” grossed $41.4-million its second weekend out, to edge the debut of Fox/Blue Sky’s tune-happy cartoon, “Rio 2” ($39-million), according to studio estimates released Sunday. Final numbers for the North American market are due Monday.
Monday’s final tally, in fact, will determine whether “Rio 2” tops the big domestic debut of the original “Rio,” which opened with $39.225-million in 2011.
FUN WITH NUMBERS:
* “Winter Soldier” has now grossed $476.7-million worldwide, already topping the lifetime global gross of 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” ($370.5-million).
* With its new global total, “Winter Soldier” also becomes the biggest film of 2014 so far, moving ahead of “The LEGO Movie” ($424.8-million worldwide).
* “Rio 2” ranks seventh among domestic debuts for Blue Sky Studio’s nine films — a roster topped by “Ice Age: The Meltdown” ($68.03-million), with “Epic” ($33-million opening) bringing up the rear.
* Disney’s “Frozen” — aka The Biggest Animated Film of All Time *(Not Adjusted For Inflation) — is now also the eighth highest-grossing movie ever, reaching $1.112-billion worldwide and passing “Skyfall” ($1.108-billion), according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. Next in its sights: “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” ($1.119-billion).
The estimated ticket sales Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1.”Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” $41.4 million.
2.”Rio 2,” $39 million,
3.”Oculus,” $12 million.
4.”Draft Day,” $9.8 million.
5.”Divergent,” $7.5 million.
6.”Noah,” $7.5 million.
7.”God’s Not Dead,” $5.5 million.
8. “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” $4.1 million.
9. “Muppets Most Wanted,” $2.2 million.
10. “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” $1.8 million.
