The Shreking of America continues, as DreamWorks SHREK 2 passed Disney/Pixars FINDING NEMO for top grossing animated feature in domestic history. The computer-animated sequel grabbed $23.3M over the weekend, reaching an astounding $353.3M in only 26 days. Last fall NEMO hit $339.7M after its triumphant summer debut. Along the way, SHREK 2 has set these additional records:
* Best Four-Day Memorial Day Weekend Gross: $95,578,365* Largest Five-Day Wednesday Opening Ever (5/19 - 5/23): $128,983,060* Largest Opening Weekend for an Animated Film: $108,000,000* Largest Saturday Single Day Box Office Gross Ever (5/22): $44,797,042* Largest Sunday Box Office Gross Ever (5/23): $34,900,541* Fastest Film to $300 million: 18 Days
In making the announcement, DreamWorks Pictures distribution head Jim Tharp said, To say that we are amazed and thrilled would be a huge understatement. We have celebrated every record, but this latest hurdle to become the top-grossing animated film in history is something we hardly even imagined. Everyone at DreamWorks and PDI shares in this accomplishment. We are all very, very proud of Shrek 2s extraordinary success.
SHREK 2 was directed by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury and Conrad Vernon, with Aron Warner, David Lipman and John H. Williams producing, and Jeffrey Katzenberg exec producing. Adamson and Joe Stillman and J. David Stem & David N. Weiss wrote the screenplay from a story by Adamson, based upon the book by William Steig.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
