Animation Rules in Foreign Lands

Studios will be making many more animated features becaauuse ....

... "Despicable Me" emerged No. 1 on the foreign theatrical circuit over the weekend, generating $25.7 million at 4,900 screens in 54 markets and raising its offshore gross total to $168.6 million.

Although the Universal release has been playing the foreign circuit for the last 15 weeks, the family-oriented 3D animation title voiced principally by Steve Carell is just now hitting full stride offshore due to its graduated rollout calibrated to school breaks among other factors. ...

"Despicable Me" passed the $400 million global gross benchmark Saturday ...

And the other animated features?

Fourth was Warner Bros' "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole," which drew $9.5 million from some 4,600 screens in 46 territories. ...

Taking the weekend's No. 1 spot in France was director-scripter Luc Besson's "Arthur et la guerre des deux mondes" ("Arthur and the Two World Wars") distributed by Europa Corp. Distribution.

We point out that both "Despicable Me" and "Arthur" were produced in higher wage France.

In the meantime, "Toy Story 3," has hit $645.3 million overseas, and "Shrek Forever After" $493.8 million.

Which is why animation will keep getting produced.