NORTH AMERICA: 'Divergent' Surpasses $60M Mark on Tuesday

By Daniel Garris

Lionsgate's Divergent took in $4.198 million on Tuesday to lead the daily box office with ease for a fifth consecutive day. The highly anticipated young adult adaptation starring Shailene Woodley was up 17 percent from Monday. Divergent surpassed the $60 million mark yesterday and has grossed a very solid $62.38 million through five days of release. Divergent is currently running 22 percent behind the $80.17 million five-day start of 2008's Twilight and 101 percent ahead of the $30.99 million five-day take of last year's Ender's Game.

Muppets Most Wanted held steady in second with $1.42 million. The latest Muppets film from Disney was up 23 percent over Monday's performance. Muppets Most Wanted has grossed an underwhelming $19.58 million in five days and is set to clear the $20 million mark today. The film is currently running a discouraging 53 percent behind the $41.52 million five-day start of 2011's The Muppets (which did have the advantage of opening the Wednesday before Thanksgiving).

Mr. Peabody & Sherman grossed $1.24 million to remain in third place. The 3D computer animated film form Fox and DreamWorks Animation increased a strong 29 percent over Monday and was down just 22 percent from last Tuesday. That hold strongly suggests that Mr. Peabody & Sherman will re-stabilize over the upcoming weekend. The 19-day total for Mr. Peabody & Sherman stands at a respectable $83.34 million.

God's Not Dead took in $1.00 million to continue to claim fourth. The faith-based drama from Freestyle and Pure Flix was up 17 percent over Monday and generated a healthy per-location average of $1,285 for the day. God's Not Dead has grossed a stronger than anticipated $11.10 million in five days. That places the film 8 percent ahead of the $10.26 million five-day start of 2011's Courageous. God's Not Dead is currently scheduled to play in 1,164 locations this coming weekend.

Warner's 300: Rise of an Empire and Disney's Need for Speed claimed fifth and sixth place respectively with $0.971 million and $0.899 million. 300: Rise of an Empire increased 17 percent over Monday, while Need for Speed was up 34 percent. Respective total grosses to date for the action films stand at a very solid $95.39 million in 19 days for 300: Rise of an Empire and at a lackluster $32.13 million for Need for Speed in twelve days.

Fox Searchlight's The Grand Budapest Hotel continued its impressive run in limited release with a seventh place take of $0.724 million. The Wes Anderson directed film was up 15 percent over Mondy and claimed a strong per-location average of $2,383 for the day. The Grand Budapest Hotel has grossed $14.35 million in 19 days of release and is set to expand into additional locations this Friday.