LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Lions Gate Entertainment Corp sci-fi epic about a televised teen death match brought in $21.5 million at U.S. theaters from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates compiled by Reuters.

Of the three newcomers, "The Three Stooges," featuring an updated cast of finger-poking stars, beat industry expectations to land in second place. The satirical horror film "The Cabin in the Woods" finished third.

"Hunger Games" has racked up $337 million in North American (U.S. and Canadian) ticket sales. That places it 22nd all-time in ticket sales, just behind Walt Disney Co.'s "Finding Nemo."

The film has also added $194 million from international markets, according to Lions Gate, for a global total of $531 million.

"There's nothing old about finishing No. 1," Richie Fay, Lions Gate president of distribution says. "We're just happy to be able to look over our shoulders and see how well we've done."

"The Cabin in the Woods," a cliché horror film that plays games with audience expectations picked up steam over the weekend. "Cabin" generated good reviews from critics, which helped sell the film to an over 25-year-old audience that doesn't generally go for creepy movies.

"The Three Stooges," an effort to bring the goofy comic trio to a new generation, pulled in $17.1 million for second place. In this contemporary version, slapstick trio Larry, Curly and Moe stumble into a murder plot and star in a reality television show.

Fox spent about $35 million to produce the film and had projected opening weekend sales of around $10 million.

"The Three Stooges" drew more than 52 percent of its audience from movie under the age of 25, said Chris Aronson, Fox's executive vice president for domestic distribution, translating to a possible lengthy run in theaters, he said.

The comedy sequel "American Reunion" grossed $10.6 million, giving Comcast Universal Pictures a second film in the top ten. Its animated film "Dr. Seuss' The Loral," was tenth for the weekend with $3 million, adding to a total of $204 million so far this year.

Following are the top 10 movies at North American box offices for the three days starting April 13.

1. "The Hunger Games," $21.5 million
2. "The Three Stooges," $17.1 million
3. "The Cabin in the Woods," $14.9 million
4. "Titanic 3-D," $11.6 million
5. "American Reunion," $10.7 million
6. "Mirror Mirror," $7.0 million
7. "Wrath of the Titans," $6.9 million
8. "21 Jump Street," $6.8 million
9. "Lockout," $6.3 million
10. "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax," $3.0 million

© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.