... as the Reporter tells us:
Fox's 'Rio' Revives International Box Office With No. 1 Openings in Russia, Brazil, Mexico
... The foreign theatrical circuit welcomed 2011’s first robust box office hit on the weekend as 20th Century Fox’s Rio opened at 11,612 screens in 72 markets and grossed an estimated $55 million.
That’s nearly double the next highest gross compiled this year by a No. 1 weekend title overseas, and it sent Fox international officials reaching for the superlatives.
“This is a fantastic start for a new franchise,” declared Fox International co-presidents Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus. “With consistently stellar reviews and excellent world-of-mouth around the world…we are well established to take advantage of the school holidays, which begin in the coming weeks.” Holidays in the U.K. and Australia begin this week. ...
Chris Meladandri might have decamped to set up his own shingle at NBC-Universal, but Blue Sky Studios rolls on with more winners.
Talking to people who worked on Rio, I got word that the picture was going to be a strong box office contender months, since my information was that the story was tight and the characters lively. Early receipts bear this early intelligence out.
Meanwhile:
Rango ... has collected $112.4 million from 55 overseas markets thanks to a $2.9 million weekend at 4,387 locations.
As we can see, there are a lot of very competitive companies in the worldwide feature animation sweepstakes. Industrial Light and Magic. Blue Sky Studios. Walt Disney Animation Studios. Pixar. DreamWorks Animation. Illumination Entertainment.
Then there are the on-again, off-again studios such as Sony Pictures Animation and Nickelodeon. (Remember Square Bob Sponge Pants, the feature?) All in all, a whole lot more animation nameplates successfully compete in the box office steeple chase in 2011 than during the go-go 1990s. This is a good thing.
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9 comments:
And I just saw that a commenter beat us to the punch about Rio's stellar numbers.
So let's analyze: Animation now on top overseas and domestically. Think any Hollywood execs are noticing? (I would say "you betchya," since bushels of the long green always make them sit up straight and pay attention.)
Hope these international numbers translate well to domestic numbers too. Employee bonuses there are only tied to domestic box office.
“This is a fantastic start for a new franchise,” declared Fox International co-presidents Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus.
New franchise? What happened to opening a new MOVIE?
Has Creeping Dreamworks-ism spread to the minor-player studios as well?
(And again, it's usually the universally translatable critters that do better in export than the dialogue-heavy bipedals--Which can be one problem with interpreting overseas numbers too closely.)
Well, remember Blue Sky is that rare studio where half of their output is sequels. It's like their contract with Fox states they have to make an Ice Age sequel before they move on to an original project.
That said, I'm pleased with the success of Rio and is anybody really shocked at how well it did in Brazil?
Admittedly I haven't seen the movie yet... but it seems the plot is 'scared 'last of his species' parrot goes to Rio by accident and has to repopulate his species while being totally afraid of everything normal parrots do.' I would assume this is resolved by the end of the movie... I don't know, it just seems like a strange premise to make a sequel with. I mean, they could do 'Rio with babies' or 'Rio has to save his babies from the zoo!' or 'Rio has to save his babies from evil scientists' or something... BTW, I'm aware the bird's name isn't Rio, I just can't think of it at the moment.
I wouldn't worry about it. There are professionals whose job is to work out a sequel. Sometimes they even do a great job at at.
I'm being snarky but jesus, this is what story artists do for a living, you know...
I'm not terribly fond of the fact that in order to propagate the species the bird couple's chicks are going to have to mate with each other...
You'll be okay.
I'm not terribly fond of the fact that in order to propagate the species the bird couple's chicks are going to have to mate with each other...
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