The film, which opened this weekend, is a hit, with USA Today reporting it crushed its “human competition” with a “stunning” $73.7 million take at the box office.
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The estimated $19.5 million Friday is the largest opening day gross ever for Walt Disney Animation Studios (topping Big Hero 6’s $15.8 million), and the estimated $31.8 million Saturday is the largest single-day gross ever for Walt Disney Animation Studios (topping Frozen’s $26.8 million second Friday).
“Zootopia” has surpassed the studio’s 2013 animation blockbuster “Frozen”, claiming the record of highest ever opening weekend for an animation title. Zootopia also tops the likes of The Incredibles ($70 million, 2004) and Finding Nemo ($70 million, 2003) on opening weekend cash haul, but compared with ticket prices from ten years ago Zootopia’s total sales can’t compete.
London Has Fallen gives actor Gerard Butler back-to-back openings at the box office after last weekend’s Gods of Egypt, which has fared miserably.
Set in a city of anthropomorphic animals, Zootopia tells the story a rookie bunny cop who teams up with a fugitive fox to uncover a conspiracy.
Both audiences and critics have given the movie positive ratings. In addition to Freeman and Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Angela Bassett also star in the R-rated picture. Its weekend gross of $16.4 million does, however, bring the film’s cume past the $300 million mark.
Debuting in fourth was Tina Fey’s latest, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot which opened to an estimated $7.6M from 2,374 theaters for a per screen average of only $3,201. Internationally, the film has now tallied just over $670 million.
Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is based on journalist Kim Barker’s memoir, The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The film pulled in another $5 million, adding to its measly debut from last week – particularly so when the film’s budget is estimated around $140 million.
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After three weeks at number one Deadpool finally ran out of steam, making way for another movie to have an exceptional opening weekend. According to exit polls, audiences were 56 percent female and 89 percent over 25.
