Animation Driven

That other entertainment conglomerate with the amusement parks is having a good year.

Universal Pictures International (UPI) has grossed $1.8 billion at the international box office. ...

The major success of Fast & Furious 6 ($544.4 million) and Despicable Me ($410 million) at the international box office helped catapult the studio to its best year at the foreign box office to date. There were also solid performances from several other films. ...

In 2012, UPI grossed $1.794 billion for the year when it was handling films such as Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Ted, Battleship and Snow White and the Huntsman. ...

You will note that the income drivers here are animated features, and animated creatures and robots inside live-action features.

I think it's a trend.

On the other hand, the visual effects business is in chaos and DreamWorks Animation has down-sized, so even though movies with animation are doing well, the people who make the animation are too-often eating it.

But it's good to know that the lucky duckies sitting at the top of the corporate heap are making untold riches. That warms my heart.