‘Incredibles 2’ crushes animation record with $180 million
LOS ANGELES — The combined powers of superheroes, the Pixar brand and a drought of family-friendly films helped “Incredibles 2” become the best animated opening of all time, the biggest PG-rated launch ever and the 8th highest film launch overall.
Disney estimated Sunday that the film earned $180 million in its first weekend in North American theatres — far surpassing industry analysts’ loftiest expectations which had the film pegged for a $120 to $140 million debut.
The previous animation record-holder was another Pixar sequel, “Finding Dory,” which had a $135 million launch in 2016. It was Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast” that held the record for a PG debut with $174.8 million in 2017.
“You don’t get to this level of opening without appealing to everyone whether you’re a fan of animation, superheroes or just out to have a good time and want to see a good movie,” said Cathleen Taff, the head of distribution for Walt Disney Studios. “We had a film that had something for all ages.”