Up is Another Hit for Pixar

Posted on May 30, 2009

Pixar's UP was the only really big movie opening this weekend. That and the fact that it is family friendly appears to be helping it take a big box office score.

Deadline Holly Daily writes that Up is headed for a near $70 million opening weekend.

Hollywood estimates for its Fri-Sat-Sun grosses started at $55M, went up to $60M based on matinees, but didn't expect it to top 2008 Wall-E's $63M. Instead, Up finished close to the $70M opening weekends of Pixar's top 2 computer animation movies, 2004 The Incredibles and 2003 Finding Nemo. (Not adjusted for inflation or ticket prices or the 3-D premium prices.) Up also bested DreamWorks' first 3-D film Monsters v Aliens which opened at $59.3M over 2009 Spring Break. Disney has been marketing Up as a four-quadrant movie that hits all bases -- from comedy to adventure, and Pixar's most emotional film thus far. It worked, although some parents are emailing me it's too dark for young children.
Up is also helped by amazingly positive reviews. It scored 98% on Rotten Tomatoes measurement of critics' reviews. The film also probably benefits from Pixar's continued string of successes. People now go and see films knowing that Pixar made them.

Here's an IGN interview with Pixar's movie wizards.

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