Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Top Animation Grossers

... of 2011.

5) Kung Fu Panda 2 -- $665.7 mill

8) The Smurfs -- $563.6 mill

9) Cars 2 -- $559.9 mill

11) Rio -- 484.6 mill

13) Puss in Boots* -- $479 mill

18) The Adventures of Tintin* -- $348.1 mill

21) Alvin and the Chipmunks* -- $273.8 mill

23) Rango -- 245.4 mill

33) Gnomeo and Juliet -- $194 mill

38) Lion King 3D -- $168.5 mill

45) Arthur Christmas* -- $146.7 mill

56) Happy Feet 2* -- $123.6 mill

In days gone by, there would have been nowhere near this many animated features released, let alone spotlighted in a "Top Grossers of ..." list.

The fact that the #5 feature for the year, Jennifer Yuh Nelson's Kung Fu Panda 2 is considered a "disappointment" by some of the bright lights of the media, is sort of mind-boggling. But maybe it's a neon marker that points out the strength of animation inside the movie marketplace.

What's equally mind-boggling is that the four movies above KFP2 have large amounts of animated characters and effects in them. Stars aren't the major drivers of box office anymore. Animation -- in all its varied forms -- now does that job.

* Still in theaters and bringing in moolah. So grosses and positions on the list could change.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

"What's equally mind-boggling is that the four movies above KFP2 have large amounts of animated characters and effects in them. Stars aren't the major drivers of box office anymore. Animation -- in all its varied forms -- now does that job."

Don't think that's the case for Twilight and Pirates 4.

Anonymous said...

Those are worldwide grosses. In the US, "Cars 2" topped the list.

Anonymous said...

And Cars 2 tops the list WW when it comes to sto kholers, with billions in ancillary sales--more than all other properties on that list put together--x 2 or more!

Anonymous said...

^It was still a crap movie that tarnished Pixar's reputation.

Steve Hulett said...

Don't think that's the case for Twilight and Pirates 4.

Granted, Johnny Depp IS the "Pirates" franchise. But "Twilight?" Don't think so.

Both movies have digital effects, though not so many as the others.

Anonymous said...

Poor DWA. They can't catch a break despite having the #1 animated film of the year in worldwide box office returns.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/wall-street-sours-on-dreamworks-animations-soft-results-and-unanswered-questions/

Anonymous said...

People don't go to Twilight for the special effects (which are laughably bad). They go for the abs.

Anonymous said...

"It was still a crap movie that tarnished Pixar's reputation."

HA! Good one.

Anonymous said...

But "Twilight?" Don't think so.


Do you think all those twilight tweens went to see the movie because of phil tippet's werewolves, or because of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Steward?

I agree with your main argument but there's still films where the stars get the people in the cinema seats.

Anonymous said...

I am a bit baffled. How come so many people say king fu 2 was a disappointment?

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