GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY BECOMES THE NO. 1 FILM OF THE YEAR

Guardians of the Galaxy became the top box-office draw of 2014 over the weekend — replacing Captain America: The Winter Soldier — as it raked in an additional $16.3 million (estimated) to bring its domestic gross to $274.6 million. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also showed remarkable staying power as it remained in second place over its fourth weekend with around $11.8 million. It has now earned $162.4 million in North America. The teen tearjerker If I Stay stayed in third place (where it opened a week ago) with about $9.3 million. Two new films turned up DOA. The horror flick As Above, So Below, with $8.2 million, actually earned more than the Pierce Brosnan spy thriller The November Man, which some analysts had thought would challenge Guardians for the top spot. It earned only $7.7 million. The Labor Day holiday officially marks the end of the summer season for the studios, which racked up about $4 billion in total ticket sales vs. $4.75 billion during the summer of 2013, down 15 percent.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Rentrak:
1. Guardians of the Galaxy, $16.3 million; 2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, $11.7 million; 3. If I Stay, $9.2 million); 4. As Above, So Below, $8.3 million; 5. Let’s Be Cops, $8.2 million; 6. The November Man, $7.6 million; 7. When the Game Stands Tall, $5.6 million; 8. The Giver, $5.2 million; 9. The Hundred-Foot Journey, $4.6 million; 10. The Expendables 3, $3.5 million.