‘Hunger Games’ remains No. 1 weekend movie

LOS ANGELES — Movie fans have chosen real violence over the slapstick variety as “The Hunger Games” held off “The Three Stooges” to remain the No. 1 weekend movie.

Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games,” the blockbuster about teens competing in a televised fight to the death, stayed on top for a fourth-straight weekend with $21.5 million. That raises the film’s domestic total to $337.1 million.

“I think a couple of weeks ago, if someone had told us where we’d be, we would have said, `We’d like to see that number, but it would be a pleasant surprise.’ So we’re in that pleasant surprise spot at this point,” said Richie Fay, head of distribution for Lions- gate.

Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s slapstick update “The Three Stooges” opened in second-place with $17.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

That was well above industry expectations of around $10 million for the 20th Century Fox update starring Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe, Sean Hayes as Larry and Will Sasso as Curly.

Fox executives had figured the movie would appeal mainly to young males. But it also pulled in older men who grew up on the Stooges and a fair number of women and girls as whole families turned out to see it, said Chris Aronson, the studio’s head of distribution.

“If you’re predisposed to open your mind, it’s a laugh riot,” Aronson said.

The acclaimed horror tale “The Cabin in the Woods” debuted in third place with $14.9 million. A smart, twisting take on the genre produced and co-written by Joss Whedon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), the long-delayed “Cabin in the Woods” had been one of the films caught up in MGM’s bankruptcy but was finally released by Lionsgate.

On the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking on April 15, 1912, the 3-D version of James Cameron’s “Titanic” sailed past the $2 billion mark worldwide.