DreamWorks Pictures' SHREK 2 breathed a little life into the box office on Wednesday, posting $11.8M - tops for an animated feature's mid-week bow, according to distribution head Jim Tharp.
The box office figures are especially impressive coming on a non-holiday week with schools still in session across the country. The movie could reach $80M through the weekend.
In making the announcement, Jim Tharp stated, "This was a spectacular opening and one that exceeded all of our expectations. We had hoped to come within range of the record, but to fly well past it was thrilling, to say the least. Based on the reactions of both audiences and critics, we anticipate that positive reviews and very strong word of mouth will spell a very successful weekend and will carry SHREK 2 well into the summer months."
SHREK 2 beat previous mid-week animated champ POKEMON by more than $1.5M. Exit polls indicate that families made up only 60% of the audience rather than the usual 85% for an animated feature.
Disney/Pixar's FINDING NEMO, the new reigning animation box office champ, collected $70.2M over its first weekend.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
