In the nick of time, two branded franchises have brought audiences back to the theater. Inside Out 2 looks to be tracking like Barbie, according to Deadline, with a three-day total of $140M-$150M.
Here is what Anthony D’Alessandro had to say this AM:
SATURDAY AM: “It’s pacing like Barbie” beamed one rival studio marketing source about Disney/Pixar’s amazing opening weekend with Inside Out 2 which at$140M-$150M could wind up being the second highest opening for an animated movie of all-time behind Pixar’s own Incredibles 2 ($182.6M) and ahead of Super Mario Bros Movie ($146.3M). Here’s how Inside Out 2 is akin to Barbie: If you back out the $13M Thursday previews out of the sequel’s $62M first day (the second highest ever for an animated movie), Friday did $49M which more than Barbie‘s first Friday of $48.2M sans Thursday previews. Wow.
Bad Boys Ride or Die is also tracking with $110 after two weeks. Both of these movies seem to prove that when you give the audience what they want, they will turn out, meaning you meet their expectations as opposed to the bait-and-switch of giving them what they should want. Obviously, families in particular are looking for something to do with their kids, not to mention the locked-in Pixar fan base, and the good reviews and the fact that people are really looking for a mood lifter and escapist ride right about now.
As a rule, I don’t really consider animated films for the top ten anymore, but honestly, this one might land. In 2009 and 2010 animated films made it into the top ten and if Hollywood is looking to invest in its own business again, Oscar voters might push this one through.