Box Office Report: ‘Dumb and Dumber’ Sequel Wins Weekend

The Marvel-inspired ‘Big Hero 6’ is in second place with a domestic total of $111.7 million and early worldwide haul of $148.4 million; Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ passes $300 million globally.

Universal’s ‘Dumb and Dumber To’

Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels' Dumb and Dumber sequel laughed its way to a $38.1 million debut at the North American box office this weekend, edging out Disney holdover Big Hero 6 for the top spot. Opening 20 years after the original, Dumb and Dumber To reunites directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly with Carrey and Daniels, aka, Lloyd and Harry. Red Granite Pictures fully financed the film for less than $40 million after Warner Bros. put the project into turnaround, with Universal handling distribution and marketing duties. Overseas, Dumb and Dumber To debuted in its first four markets, earning an additional $3.2 million for a worldwide total of $41.3 million.

The Marvel-inspired Big Hero 6 came in second place with a domestic total of $111.7 million and early worldwide haul of $148.4 million, helping to propel Disney past the $4 billion mark in global ticket sales for only the second time in its history. Overseas, the 3D animated tentpole earned $11.9 million for the weekend from 23 markets, including a stellar $4.8 million launch in Mexico.

From Paramount and Warner Bros., Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar came in third place, taking in $29.2 million from 3,561 theaters for a domestic total of $97.8. Globally, the space epic zoomed past the $300 million mark to finish Sunday with $321.9 million in ticket sales.

Coming in fourth place is new entry Beyond the Lights, which grossed $6.5 million from 1,789 locations for its debut. The $7 million romance drama is from Relativity, Undisputed Cinema and Homegrown Pictures in association with BET Films.

David Fincher's Gone Girl rounded out the top five films, grossing $4.6 million for a domestic total of $152.7 million. Internationally, the Fox 2000 film has now earned $166.2 million for a worldwide total of $318.9 million.

Bill Murray's comedy St. Vincent -- from The Weinstein Co. and Chernin Entertainment -- came in sixth place with $4 million for a total of $33.3 million.

Sony's Fury came in seventh place for the second weekend in a row, taking in $3.8 million in its fifth weekend out to push the film’s domestic total to $75.9 million.

Finishing its third weekend at the box office, the critically acclaimed Nightcrawler came in eighth place, bringing in $3.03 million for Open Road Films for a total of $25 million.

Universal’s horror holdover Ouija, based on the classic Hasbro board game, came in ninth place, taking in $3.02 million for a domestic total of $48.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 domestic films is Fox Searchlight feature Birdman, which expanded into 857 theaters following four weeks in limited release. Produced for $18 million, Birdman, starring Michael Keaton, brought in $2.5 million for a domestic total of $11.6 million.

Elsewhere, DreamWorks Animation's Penguins of Madagascar debuted in China ahead of its November 26 rollout in North America, grossing $11.3 million to come in number two behind Interstellar.

Box office numbers were obtained on boxofficemojo.com.

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.