LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Film fans are still forking over for "The Hunger Games," which took in $33.5 million to lead the box office for a third- straight weekend.
According to studio estimates Sunday, Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games" raised its domestic total to $302.8 million. It easily out-earned two returning favorites, Universal's "American Pie" sequel "American Reunion" and a 3-D version of the blockbuster "Titanic," released domestically by Paramount and overseas by 20th Century Fox.
Starring Jennifer Lawrence as a teen forced to fight other youths in a televised death match, "The Hunger Games" now has topped the domestic gross of each of the "Twilight" movies and all but the first and last of the "Harry Potter" films.
The first big-screen "American Pie" sequel since 2003's "American Wedding," "American Reunion" brings back all key cast members from the 1999 gross-out hit, including Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Seann William Scott, Mena Suvari and Tara Reid.
The new sequel had the smallest start since 1999's "American Pie" debuted with $18.7 million. Factoring in inflation, the original movie also sold more tickets than "American Reunion."
"Titanic" follows such past hits as "The Lion King" and "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" to be converted to 3-D.
"This is something that has already been seen by tens of millions of people in the domestic market. To have taken the time and care that Jim Cameron did to re-create it in 3-D and to do $25-plus-million over five days is just a home run," said Don Harris, head of distribution at Paramount.
