“SNIPER” SETS SUPER BOWL RECORD

Get ready to chalk up another box-office record for American Sniper: the biggest earnings over a Super Bowl weekend. According to studio estimates, the movie will rake in $31.8 million over the weekend, edging out the previous record of $31.1 million set by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Concert Tour in 2008. But that film was conspicuously an alternative film, aimed at attracting female “tweens” and teens who are generally not caught up in the annual football frenzy. Sniper could not be considered such an alternative film — and most of its earnings accrued on Friday ($10 million) and Saturday ($16.8 million). The other top films at the box office likely are options for an alternate crowd, however. They include the animated Paddington and the teen sci-fi film Project Almanac, which tied for second in the studio estimates with $8.5 million. The racial drama Black or White opened in fourth place with about $6.5 million. Rounding out the top five was the second week of the Jennifer Lopez thriller The Boy Next Door with $6 million.

Los Angeles Times: ‘American Sniper’ tops box office, may set Super Bowl weekend record

Associated Press (via Orlando Sentinel): ‘American Sniper’ shoots down Super Bowl weekend box-office record with $31.9 million