Pixar sequel earns $180 million in first weekend, surpassing a record set by «Finding Dory.»<\/b>
\nLOS ANGELES \u2014 The combined powers of superheroes, the Pixar brand and a drought of family-friendly films helped \u201cIncredibles 2\u201d become the best animated opening of all time, the biggest PG-rated launch ever and the 8th highest film launch overall.
Disney estimated Sunday that the film earned $180 million in its first weekend in North American theaters \u2014 far surpassing industry analysts\u2019 loftiest expectations, which had the film pegged for a $120 to $140 million debut.
The previous animation record-holder was another Pixar sequel, \u201cFinding Dory,\u201d which had a $135 million launch in 2016. It was Disney\u2019s live-action \u201cBeauty and the Beast\u201d that held the record for a PG debut with $174.8 million in 2017.
\u201cYou don\u2019t get to this level of opening without appealing to everyone whether you\u2019re a fan of animation, superheroes or just out to have a good time and want to see a good movie,\u201d said Cathleen Taff, the head of distribution for Walt Disney Studios. \u201cWe had a film that had something for all ages.\u201d
According to Disney, adults made up 31 percent of the audience, families accounted for 57 percent and teens 11 percent.
\u201cIncredibles 2\u201d comes 14 years after \u201cThe Incredibles,\u201d which at the time boasted one of the biggest animated openings ever, and picks up right where the first film left off with the superhero family. Brad Bird returned to write and direct the sequel, which has been overwhelmingly well-received by both critics and audiences.
\u201cThis is one of the biggest over-performances I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d said comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. \u201cTo over-perform by $40 million means everyone underestimated the power of animation to draw huge audiences.\u201d
\u201cIncredibles 2\u201d is also the second biggest ever June debut, behind only \u201cJurassic World\u201d ($208.8 million), which has its own sequel preparing to take a bite out of the box office when its opens in North America next weekend.
It knocked \u201cOcean\u2019s 8\u201d to a distant second in its second weekend in theaters with $19.6 million. \u201cOcean\u2019s 8\u201d still managed to outdo the non-\u201cIncredibles\u201d newcomers, like the R-rated comedy \u201cTag,\u201d also a Warner Bros. release, which opened in third place with $14.6 million.
\u201cSolo: A Star Wars Story,\u201d fell to fourth place with $9.1 million and \u201cDeadpool 2\u201d rounded out the top five with an additional $8.8 million.
Sony\u2019s \u201cSuperfly\u201d remake landed in seventh place in its first weekend with $6.3 million, and Vertical Entertainment\u2019s \u201cGotti,\u201d starring John Travolta, opened outside of the top 10. Playing in 503 locations, the long-delayed film which boasts a 0 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, took in $1.7 million.
After a slow early June, the box office overall is now running around 6 percent ahead of where it was last year and will likely continue that growth next weekend when \u201cJurassic World: Fallen Kingdom\u201d launches stateside.
Here are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U. S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.
2. \u201cOcean\u2019s 8,\u201d $19.6 million ($19.3 million international).
3. \u201cTag,\u201d $14.6 million ($1.4 million international).
4. \u201cSolo: A Star Wars Story,\u201d $9.1 million ($5.2 million international).
5. \u201cDeadpool 2,\u201d $8.8 million ($9.8 million international).
6. \u201cHereditary,\u201d $7 million ($5.7 million international).
7. \u201cSuperfly,\u201d $6.3 million.
8. \u201cAvengers: Infinity War,\u201d $5.3 million ($3.1 million international).
9. \u201cAdrift,\u201d $2.1 million ($453,000 international).
10. \u201cBook Club,\u201d $1.9 million ($730,000 international).<\/p>\n

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