Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, left) and Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) scope out their competition in the Quarter Quell in a scene from “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” (Photo credit: Murray Close/MCT)

By Ryan Faughnder
Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES — Jennifer Lawrence’s “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” became the highest grossing movie released in 2013 in the U.S. and Canada, hitting an estimated cumulative total of more than $409 million in domestic ticket sales, distributor Lionsgate said on Thursday.

By adding about $493,000 to its domestic take Wednesday night, the dystopian action movie overtook the year’s hitherto No. 1 release, Disney’s 3-D superhero adventure “Iron Man 3,” which pulled in slightly less than $409 million in its run. “Catching Fire” has also surpassed the total domestic gross of its 2012 predecessor, “The Hunger Games,” which took in $408 million over its domestic lifespan.

It’s the first time a franchise’s first two installments have grossed more than $400 million each, domestically. Additionally, it’s the first time since 2008 that a non-3-D movie has snagged the top spot for the year (“The Dark Knight” was the biggest film that year).

“Iron Man 3,” released in May, is still ahead of “Catching Fire” overseas, generating $806 million in revenue outside the U.S. and Canada for a worldwide tally of $1.21 billion, whereas “Catching Fire” has yet to cross the $1 billion mark globally. It has collected $838 million worldwide so far, well outpacing the original “Hunger Games.”