BOX OFFICE REPORT (AUG. 29-31): 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Becomes 2014's Highest Grossing Movie

1. Guardians of the Galaxy (1st)
Weekend gross: $16.3 million / Total domestic gross: $274.6 million / 
Percent drop: 5.2
There was a time when box office critics talked about how Guardians of the Galaxy was destined to be Marvel's greatest flop. Fans weren't familiar with the characters. It was too risky. Marvel and Disney would have a flop on their hands that would rival John Carter.

Those critics couldn't have been more wrong.

Guardians of the Galaxy is now the highest grossing movie of 2014. Thanks to another weekend win, Guardians of the Galaxy pulled ahead of Captain America: The Winter Soldier's $259.8 million. That also makes Guardians the fifth highest grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, trailing only The Avengers and the three Iron Man movies. With Iron Man and Iron Man 2 at $318.4 million and $312.4 million, Guardians has a real shot at moving up to No. 3 overall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2nd)

Weekend gross: $11.8 million / Total domestic gross: $162.4 million / 
Percent drop: 29.7
Despite beating Guardians of the Galaxy for the No. 1 spot at the box office for two weekends, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is going to wind up just being a footnote for the summer 2014 movie season. Yeah, it won those two weekends, but that's pretty much it.

3. If I Stay (3rd)

Weekend gross: $9.3 million / Total domestic gross: $29.8 million / 
Percent drop: 40.9
Through its second weekend, The Fault in Our Stars had grossed $80.8 million. If I Stay isn't The Fault in Our Stars. Sorry.

4. As Above/So Below (N)

Weekend gross: $8.3 million / Total domestic gross: $8.3 million / 
Percent drop: NA
And finally down at No. 4, we get to our first new release of the past weekend. If you're As Above/So Below, you can at least take solace in the fact that you opened higher than Pierce Brosnan's The November Man, which could only scrounge up $7.7 million.

5. Let's Be Cops (4th)

Weekend gross: $8.2 million / Total domestic gross: $57.3 million / 
Percent drop: 24.1

Let's Be Cops has remained in the top five for three weekends now. Not bad.

Next week's predictions

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

3. If I Stay

4. Let's Be Cops

5. As Above/So Below

SOURCE: Box Office Mojo