NORTH AMERICA: 'American Sniper' Claims $217.1M After Two Weeks of Wide Release

By Daniel Garris

Warner's American Sniper took in $3.67 million on Thursday to lead the daily box office for a fourteenth straight day. The blockbuster Clint Eastwood directed film starring Bradley Cooper was down 4 percent from Wednesday and down a significant 52 percent from last Thursday. American Sniper easily led the weekly box office with $81.32 million for the frame. That was down a healthy 39 percent from the previous week and places the film's domestic total at $217.09 million after two weeks of wide release. American Sniper is running an extremely impressive 56 percent ahead of the $139.54 million two-week take of 2013's Gravity.

The Boy Next Door held steady in second place with $0.792 million. The Jennifer Lopez led thriller from Universal fell 6 percent from Wednesday's performance. The Boy Next Door placed in second for the week with $18.59 million. The film was off to a very solid start this week, especially with its low production budget in mind. The Boy Next Door is running 18 percent ahead of the $15.71 million seven-day take of 2010's The Back-Up Plan.

Sony's The Wedding Ringer took in $0.685 million to remain in third. The modestly budgeted comedy starring Kevin Hart and Josh Gad was down 4 percent from Wednesday and down 42 percent from last Thursday. The Wedding Ringer placed in third for the week with $14.367 million. That was down 49 percent from the previous week and brings the film's two-week total to a solid $42.44 million.

The Weinstein Company's The Imitation Game continued to claim fourth with $0.542 million for the day. The Best Picture nominee starring Benedict Cumberbatch fell a slim 2 percent from Wednesday and just 13 percent from last Thursday. The Imitation Game placed in fifth for the week with $9.28 million and has grossed a healthy $62.78 million to date.

Fellow Best Picture nominee Selma was up two spots and 14 percent over Wednesday to round out Thursday's top five with $0.480 million. The critically acclaimed film from Paramount finished in seventh this week with $7.19 million. That was down 55 percent from the previous frame and places the film's total gross at $40.91 million after three weeks of wide release.

Paddington was down one spot and 2 percent from Wednesday to land in sixth with $0.447 million. The well received family film from The Weinstein Company placed in fourth for the week with $14.364 million. Paddington was down 48 percent from last week and has grossed $42.04 million in its first two weeks.