Animated Weekend

Well lookee here. Two of the top three movies are cartoons. And the other one? Almost a cartoon.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE

1). Minions (UNI), 4,301 theaters / $46M+ Fri. / 3-day cume: $120M+ / Wk 1

2/3). Jurassic World (UNI), 3,441 theaters (-296) / $5.3M Fri. / 3-day cume: $18M+ / Total cume: $590M+ / Wk 5

Inside Out (DIS), 3,644 theaters (-514) / $5.3M Fri. / 3-day cume: $18M+ / Total cume: $284M+ / Wk 4

4). Terminator: Genisys (PAR), 3,783 theaters (+25) / $3.65M Fri. / 3-day cume: $12.8M to $13M (-52%) / Total cume: $67.8M to $68M / Wk 2

5). The Gallows (WB), 2,720 theaters / $4.5M Fri. / 3-day cume: $11M / Wk 1

6). Magic Mike XXL (WB), 3,376 theaters (+21) / $3.6M Fri. / 3-day cume: $9.8M – $10M (-22%) / Total cume: $48.7M / Wk 2

7). Self/Less (FOCUS), 2,353 theaters / $1.97M Fri. / 3-day cume: $5.2M / Wk 1

8). Ted 2 (UNI), 2,171 theaters (-1,277) / $1.7M Fri. / 3-day cume: $5.6M / Total cume: $71.55M /Wk 3

9/10). Max (WB), 2,088 theaters (-782) / $1.1M Fri. / 3-day cume: $3.2M to $3.6M / Total cume: $33.4M to $33.9M / Wk 3 ...

There are movie commentators who are, frankly, lazy analysts. When an animated feature does badly, they're quick with "Oooh, the public is tired of animation," when that's not the case at all.

Animated features are simply a way to present a story on screen. Period. Saturday's top movies are ALL animated. Two just happen to be fully animated, and the other one -- the dinosaur picture -- partially animated.

All of them are raking in major bucks, so it stands to reason that the public wants to see animated flicks. But actually no. The public wants to see THESE flicks. And the public doesn't care that they're animated. They just happen to be movies the audience wants to see.

Add On: So why did Minions do so well?

1) Great marketing ... Universal Pictures undertook one of its biggest-ever marketing campaigns with this movie.

2) Modest budget -- The production cost was $74 million.

3) Perfect release weekend -- No other movie wanted to open against them.

4) The Minions themselves

5) They draw young and old, male and female -- And an "A" Cinemascore doesn't hurt.