Disney-Pixar's 10th film UP opened at the top spot at the box office with $68.1M, with an impressive $18,085 per-screen average and stellar reviews from Rotten Tomatoes (98 %) and an A+ from Cinemascore. VARIETY reports an estimated $36M of the take came from 1,534 3-D screens. The opening beats out all but two other Pixar films -- FINDING NEMO with $70.3M in 2003 and THE INCREDIBLES with $70.5M in 2004.
Fox's NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN (vfx from CafeFX, Dac Studios, Giant Studios, Image Engine Design and Pixel Playground) dropped to the number two slot with $24.35M and a two-week cume of $104.15M.
Last week's number two film, TERMINATOR SALVATION (vfx by ILM, Matte World Digital, Pixel Liberation Front, Proof, Rising Sun Pictures and Stan Winston Studio), fell to third place with $16.4M and in two weeks has pulled in $90.9M for Warner Bros.
Universal's counter-programming horror opener DRAG ME TO HELL got away with fourth place and $15.8M. The Sam Raimi-directed film has vfx by ReThink VFX, Michael Kaelin & Associates, Tippett Studio and i.e. Effects.
Paramount's STAR TREK (vfx by ILM, Lola Visual Effects, Evil Eye Pictures, and Svengali Visual Effects) came in fifth place with $12.6M and also crossed the $200M mark this week with a four-week cume of $209.3M.
Vatican thriller ANGELS & DEMONS (Sony, Double Negative, CIS Vancouver, The Moving Picture Co., Plowman Craven & Associates and The Senate Visual Effects) placed sixth with $11.3M and in three weeks has earned $104.9M.
Seventh place went to comedy spoof DANCE FLICK (Paramount, vfx from Furious FX and Lola Visual Effects), which earned $4.7M and has a two-week take of $19.1M.
Fox's X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE came in the #8 spot with $3.87M and in five weeks has made $170.8M. Starring Hugh Jackman, the franchiser has vfx from Cinesite, Hydraulx, Image Engine Design, Lola Visual Effects, Matte World Digital, Rising Sun Pictures, Soho VFX and Vital Distraction.
Matthew McConaughey-led romantic comedy GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST hung in there at ninth place with $1.9M for Warner Bros./New Line. With a gross of $50M, the film has vfx from CIS Hollywood and Rhythm & Hues.
And rounding out the top ten was thriller OBSESSED (Screen Gems) with $657,001 and a six-week cume of $67.5M.
In animated films, DreamWorks Animation/Paramount's MONSTERS VS. ALIENS pulled in another $320,040 for a 10-week cume of $194.4M. Focus Features' CORALINE made $17,886 and in 17 weeks has earned $75.2M. BATTLE FOR TERRA (Lionsgate) was removed from all but four theaters and made another $193 for a five-week cume of $1.6M.
