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[xaosslug]

tomatometer:

98% Zootopia

26% London Has Fallen

84% Deadpool

60% Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

13% Gods of Egypt
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53% The Other Side of the Door

metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

Disney’s ‘Zootopia’ Opens Big With $73.7 Million Debut

Disney’s “Zootopia” scored the fourth biggest March opening, debuting to $73.7 million over the weekend.

The animated story about a rabbit who joins the police force ranks as the biggest Disney Animation launch (though not Pixar debut), outstripping “Frozen,” the 2012 blockbuster that bowed to $67.4 million. With no major family film opening until “The Jungle Book” lands on April 15, “Zootopia” is well positioned to be the defacto choice for moviegoers with children for the next month.

“There’s an absence of competition,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s distribution chief. “We are set up to have a big, big run.”

Disney did not release a budget, but most animated films cost in excess of $100 million. “Zootopia” screened in 3,827 locations.Overseas, where “Zootopia” has been playing for three weeks, the film added another $63.4 million to its haul, pushing its global total to $232.5 million. The film continues a sterling comeback run for Disney Animation, which had reached a creative and commercial nadir with the likes of “Home on the Range.” Since Pixar’s Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took the reins following Disney’s 2006 acquisition of their company, the animation arm has roared back to life, fielding hits such as “Frozen,” “Tangled,” and “Wreck It Ralph,” and winning Oscars.

“They brought a focus on quality,” said Hollis. “They recognize that quality is the best business plan.”

Beyond the bunnies, Gerard Butler managed to wash out some of the sour taste in his mouth after “Gods of Egypt” flopped spectacularly. “London Has Fallen,” the Scottish actor’s followup to “Olympus Has Fallen,” opened solidly to $21.5 million from 3,490 locations for a second place finish. That does, however, trail the first film’s $30 million debut. Focus Features fielded the picture, which carried a $60 million price tag. It played older and male, with more than 76% of the audience over the age of 25.

“We’re really pleased with the opening and we think we’re going to leg out well from here,” said Jim Orr, Focus’ distribution chief. “That older demographic doesn’t necessarily rush out on opening weekend.”

Tina Fey was not as lucky as Butler. The actress’ “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” stumbled with a $7.6 million launch from 2,374 venues. Paramount backed the $35 million dramedy about a war reporter who gets hooked on the adrenaline rush of covering Afghanistan. War films and political comedies can be tough sells — witness the financial failures of “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “Our Brand is Crisis,” and “Jarhead.” Paramount Vice Chairman Rob Moore said that he hoped the audience would build in the coming weeks, as it did for Fey’s recent hit “Sisters.”

“We were hoping for more,” he said. “But Tina’s last movie played to a good multiple and we had a good Saturday, so we have a chance of playing for a little while to a reasonable outcome.”

After four weeks in theaters, “Deadpool” barreled past the $300 million mark. The comic book movie finished in third place with $16.4 million, pushing its domestic haul to $311.1 million.

“Gods of Egypt” rounded out the top five, picking up $5 million. The $140 million action epic has earned a meagre $22.8 million domestically.

Fresh off its best picture win at last weekend’s Academy Awards, newspaper drama “Spotlight” capitalized on the Oscar love by pulling in $1.8 million. The film has netted $41.6 million during its theatrical run.

In limited release, Broad Green debuted “Knight of Cubs,” Terrence Malick’s lyrical portrait of the spiritual journey of a writer (Christian Bale), in four theaters where it earned $56,688 for a $14,172 per-screen average.

March was once seen as a dumping ground for movies, but the success of spring releases like “The Hunger Games,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Cinderella,” and now “Zootopia” has shattered that prejudice.

“This proves March is now a blockbuster month,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at ComScore.

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for source*

 

[BronsonLee]

It's Knight of Cups. Variety you FLOPS

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Will Gods be able to break $40m with how it's doing?

 

[……forgetit]

Will Gods be able to break $40m with how it's doing?

Theaters will start dropping it soon, so I doubt it

 

[mreddie]

Zootopia's OW outgrossed Frozen's OW.

Think about that.

 

[strafer]

That is a rather small budget on London Has Fallen. Nice.

And I still laugh at the Gods of Egypt master budget

 

[Slayven]

Theaters will start dropping it soon, so I doubt it

We got a negative nancy here

 

[Calm waterfall]

London Has Fallen has a $60 million budget. Zootopia made $232,5 million WW. Not bad at all.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Hopefully that 20M opening is enough to save Gerard's career.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Gods of Egypt will be lucky to inch to $30m - it's going to be dropped from theaters en masse next week.

Really happy to see Zootopia's success. Came out of left field with how excellent it turned out to be. Disney Animation is on a roll.

 

[Chris R]

lol at the Prime streaming

 

[NomarTyme]

I knew Zootopia was gonna be a hit! The theater I was at erupt with laughter when they played the sloth trailer.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Gods of Egypt will be lucky to inch to $30m - it's going to be dropped from theaters en masse next week.

Really happy to see Zootopia's success. Came out of left field with how excellent it turned out to be. Disney Animation is on a roll.

For the past 4-5 years Disney has been much better than Pixar as far as i am concerned.

 

[Ridley327]

The people have spoken, and the only Gerard Butler they want is the kind that stars in xenophobic action films where he spouts one-liners while savagely murdering brown people.

 

[TheYoungHeroRises]

Who wants to bet that a sequel is already internally greenlit at Disney?

Because after this fantastic box office performance the chances of a sequel shot up 200%.

Hopefully Zootopia's success also gets Wreck-It Ralph 2 finally greenlit.

 

[mreddie]

Disney seeing the OW

 

[kswiston]

Looks like 7x the budget wasnt enough for Gods of Egypt to take on the other God movie in theatres.

 

[Garlador]

For the past 4-5 years Disney has been much better than Pixar as far as i am concerned.

They really have been. I'm quite impressed how much Disney has turned it around in recent years. That John Lasseter effect has been a godsend to Disney Animation.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Going to see London Has Fallen this afternoon. I expect a by the books Die Hard movie. Could've waited for the home release on it, but decided why not see it on the big screen.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

I saw a commercial for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and it looks hilarious

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

YES YES YES ! Zootopia I'm so happy it did well ! AWESOME.
Loved the movie and really happy it did also do very well in the USA this movie has all the right things going for it.

Loved it 3 weeks ago when it launched here.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Deadpool hitting 350? Yay or nay

K-SWISS WHADDYA SAY

 

[Raxus]

Big grats to Zootopia. Very well deserving.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Deadpool hitting 350? Yay or nay

K-SWISS WHADDYA SAY

Not likely. It dropped 47% from previous week.

 

[kswiston]

Deadpool hitting 350? Yay or nay

K-SWISS WHADDYA SAY

Winter Soldier legs would put it at $345M at this point, and Winter Soldier dropped pretty hard in its fifth weekend. Beating Passion isn't looking very likely anymore, but I think that Deadpool will be pushed past the $350M mark.

Not likely. It dropped 47% from previous week.

This weekend had $100M of new business.

 

[GhaleonEB]

For the past 4-5 years Disney has been much better than Pixar as far as i am concerned.

Yup.

Deadpool hitting 350? Yay or nay

K-SWISS WHADDYA SAY

I think it will fall a smidgen short. Seems tracking closer to $345m given this weekend's drop.

 

[Kusagari]

I always thought beating Passion wasn't happening outside of amazing legs.

I just hope it can eke past American Sniper.

 

[Dai101]

The people have spoken, and the only Gerard Butler they want is the kind that stars in xenophobic action films where he spouts one-liners while savagely murdering brown people.

American Sniper 2 starring Gerard Butler just got green litted

 

[kswiston]

I think it will fall a smidgen short. Seems tracking closer to $345m given this weekend's drop.

I think there's a reason that there is a bit of a dead-zone surrounding $350M domestic. Films that are close can usually be pushed over.

 

[BitStyle]

For the past 4-5 years Disney has been much better than Pixar as far as i am concerned.

You're right. They've really been hitting it out of the park with these last few releases.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Here's to hoping this success gets Zootopia a sequel.

 

[kswiston]

38) Spectre - $30,000 (+50.0%) - $199,885,714


"I think I can I think I can I think I can..."

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Damn so it looks like Murican Sniper will hang on to #2.

Boo.

 

[kswiston]

Worldwide Updates:

Deadpool - $673M
The Revenant - $430M
Zootopia - $233M
Kung Fu Panda 3 - $324M
Star Wars the Force Awakens - $2.053B

 

[Concept17]

I actually look forward more to what Disney Animation is doing these days and not Pixar.

Seems weird, but they've been the better studio for awhile now.

 

[John Dunbar]

is whiskey tango foxtrot the female reboot of the rum diary?

 

[ryutaro's mama]

I actually look forward more to what Disney Animation is doing these days and not Pixar.

Seems weird, but they've been the better studio for awhile now.

As it should be. I grew up during the Disney Feature Animation renaissance, starting with Mermaid. At one point in my life, my idols were Glen Keane and Andreas Deja.

Glad to see things back to form, even if things aren't hand drawn anymore.

 

[Ahasverus]

38) Spectre - $30,000 (+50.0%) - $199,885,714

"I think I can I think I can I think I can..."

Is this what you mean with "Pushing over"?

 

[Chamber]

Spectre

 

[Bobby Roberts]

38) Spectre - $30,000 (+50.0%) - $199,885,714


"I think I can I think I can I think I can..."

This is maybe my favorite little box-office subplot lately.

 

[Sean C]

Spectre

It's weird to think that's still in theatres.

Things are set up very nicely for Zootopia. There isn't another major animated release until The Angry Birds Movie (God, that looks excruciating) on May 20.

 

[manzoman96]

I actually look forward more to what Disney Animation is doing these days and not Pixar.

Seems weird, but they've been the better studio for awhile now.

Yeah outside of inside out pixar hasn't been good in years.

Love seeing great movies come out of Disney animation again can't wait to see zootopia. Though I do wish they had something traditionally animated in the pipeline.

 

[Loxley]

Gods of Egypt will be lucky to inch to $30m - it's going to be dropped from theaters en masse next week.

Really happy to see Zootopia's success. Came out of left field with how excellent it turned out to be. Disney Animation is on a roll.

For as much as folks like to shit on Lasseter for the Cars franchise, the guy absolutely deserves credit for bringing Walt Disney Animation Studios out of the post-Tarzan dark years. Ever since he was put in charge the quality of their output has increased dramatically.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

For as much as folks like to shit on Lasseter for the Cars franchise, the guy absolutely deserves credit for bringing Walt Disney Animation Studios out of the post-Tarzan dark years. Ever since he was put in charge the quality of their output has increased dramatically.

Princess and the Frog didn't get nearly enough love.

 

[kswiston]

For as much as folks like to shit on Lasseter for the Cars franchise, the guy absolutely deserves credit for bringing Walt Disney Animation Studios out of the post-Tarzan dark years. Ever since he was put in charge the quality of their output has increased dramatically.

Pixar got turned into a merchandising machine to give Disney Animation Studios the breathing room to do that. Personally, I don't think anything we have seen out of post 2008 Disney has had the sophistication and artistry of Pixar's best, but they've done nothing but original films (and one Winnie the Pooh film) since then no? It's not hard to see why that would be more appealing than Pixar's sequel overload post Toy Story 3. It also doesn't help that two of Pixar's 3 original films this decade (Brave and The Good Dinosaur) were troubled productions.

Is this what you mean with "Pushing over"?

Pretty much. Skyfall's run ended March 10th, 2013. So if Spectre is in theatres next weekend, it would have had a longer run than Skyfall. Wonder why.

Quantum of Solace is probably the most comparable Bond film to Spectre in terms of front-loadedness and reception. That was pulled from screens in late January.

 

[kewlmyc]

Hoped that Deadpool would beat American Sniper domestically, but it doesn't seem like it anymore. Still a fantastic run.

 

[ratcliffja]

Inside Out alone is better than anything Disney has put out since Princess and the Frog. I'm not sure if I'll see Zootopia in theaters or just wait until it's on Netflix.

 

[massoluk]

God of Egypt is such a disaster.

 

[Sean C]

Pixar got turned into a merchandising machine to give Disney Animation Studios the breathing room to do that.

Not really. Disney Animation's films are hardly lacking in merchandising.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Inside Out alone is better than anything Disney has put out since Princess and the Frog.

Well, that is one opinion...