American Sniper Overtakes Hunger Games: Mockingjay As Highest-Grossing Film of 2014

Multiple outlets are reporting that American Sniper, starring Jenkintown native turned movie god Bradley Cooper as Navy SEAL assassin Chris Kyle, has overtaken Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, starring frequent Cooper co-star Jennifer Lawrence, as the highest grossing film of 2014. More from Variety:

The R-rated drama has made $337.2 million since debuting in a handful of theaters last December. That puts it ahead of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 and its $336.8 million haul as the top film to debut last year.

With a budget of $58.8 million, the biopic of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle represents a substantial return on Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow’s investment.

Globally, American Sniper won’t be able to match the $1.1 billion that “Transformers: Age of Extinction” pulled in, but it has been a robust performer, particularly given that films with patriotic subject matter don’t tend to travel well abroad. It has made more than $140 million in foreign markets.

Though Cooper eked through awards season without picking up any trophies, the post-Oscar boost seems to have helped put the film over the edge. Maybe the upcoming MTV Movie Awards will continue the momentum: Cooper is nominated in the Best Male Performance category, as well as Best Duo with Vin Diesel for his role in Guardians of the Galaxy as animated back-talker Rocket the Raccoon.

[h/t Variety]