While it is no surprise that Disney/Pixars THE INCREDIBLES led the box office for the weekend ended Nov. 7, 2004, the fact that Brad Birds first 3D-animated feature captured as much as $70.4M in its opening weekend raised a few eyebrows. Indeed, THE INCREDIBLES marks the biggest opening in Disney and Pixar history, edging out last years FINDING NEMO by $100,000. In addition, THE INCREDIBLES scored the best single day record for Disney with $29.4M on Saturday, along with the best November opening for an animated feature.
Holding second place was Universals Ray Charles biopic, RAY, which took in $13.6M for a two-week total of $39.6M. Sonys horror hit, THE GRUDGE, slipped to number three with $12.6M and a hefty total of $88.7M. Lions Gates SAW settled for fourth place with $11M and a cume of $35.3M. Paramounts ALFIE bowed in the fifth slot with a disappointing $6.2M. Miramaxs SHALL WE DANCE? dropped to seventh place with $5.6M and $42.1M to date. DreamWorks SHARK TALE finished in seventh with $4.5M and a cume of $154M. Universals FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS grabbed the eighth spot with $2.9M and $57.2M. Buena Vistas LADDER 49 secured $2.6M for ninth place and a tally of $69.9M. Paramounts TEAM AMERICA accumulated $1.8M to finish in 10th place with a cume of only $30.4M. Box office information obtained from boxofficemojo.com.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
