Box Office

YOUR WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Captain America: The Winter Soldier really did save the day over the weekend, debuting with $96.2 million—and breaking a record for April receipts previously held by Fast Five. Powered by strong word of mouth and the lingering coattails of 2012’s mega-blockbuster The Avengers, the Marvel hero’s second installment beat the opening of his first feature as well. The box-office flood is over for Noah, however; the Biblical epic’s in-theater arc took a 61% downward turn in its sophomore frame. But before you say, “Where’s your God now, Christian film distributors?” We direct your attention to the indie breakout God’s Not Dead, which has raked in $32.5m in three weeks. Divergent, meanwhile, keeps the faith for dystopian YA franchises, and The Grand Budapest Hotel’s robust per-screen average of nearly $5k should ensure an extended stay.

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier Disney $96.2m 3,938/$24,429 avg. (debut)
2. Noah Paramount $17m (-61%) 3,571/$4,761 avg. (week 2)
3. Divergent Lionsgate $13m (-49%) 3,631/$3,580 (week 3)
4. God’s Not Dead Free $7.7m (-12%) 1,758/$4,395 (week 3)
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel Fox Searchlight $6.3m (-26%) 1,263/$4,988 (week 5)

In sadder Hollywood news, movie icon Mickey Rooney died at his home in North Hollywood on Sunday; he was 93. The diminutive veteran of more than 200 movies was a child star, became a superstar in the Andy Hardy films and numerous musicals (several co-starring Judy Garland) and reinvented himself as a character actor later in life. He was working right until the end; his final performances are in films that have yet to be released. (4/7a)