Disney/Pixars MONSTERS, INC. dominated the box office this weekend, taking in an astounding $63.5M, the biggest opening ever for an animated film and for a Disney film. The family-friendly features opening take was no doubt helped by Star Wars fans who wanted a first glimpse of STAR WARS: EPISODE II. A teaser trailer for the highly anticipated sequel was attached to MONSTERS, INC. A full 2-minute preview will screen with HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERERS STONE, which is scheduled to be another big opening when it hits theaters on November 16th. Sci-fi actioner, THE ONE, with visual effects by Digital Filmworks and others, was the number two film for the weekend, grossing $20M in its debut. Interplanetary drama K-PAX, with primary visual effects by Centropolis Effects, LLC, fell to fourth place, earning $10.7M and raising its cume to $32.1M in its second week. Johnny Depp and the cast FROM HELL, with primary visual effects by Digiscope and Illusion Arts, slashed its take by 38% to $3.7M for $26.5M and seventh place. Haunted house thriller 13 GHOSTS, with primary visual effects by Manex Entertainment, tumbled to fifth, earning $8M, raising its two-week total to $27.8M. TRAINING DAY, with visual effects by Cinesite, stayed in the top ten in its fifth week of release, placing eighth and earning $3.2M for $69.7M gross to date. Horror flick BONES, with primary visual effects by OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic, has already dropped out of the top ten earning just $1.4M this weekend, raising its 10 day total to $5.7M. Box office information was obtained from yahoo.com and boxofficeguru.com.
Read all about the production of MONSTERS, INC. Karl Cohen meets the key players behind Pixar's latest, and describes why there is that certain Pixar magic...it is technology, amazing story and animation teams, amazing directors and tradition and something else.
