‘Zootopia’ sets record opening for Disney Animation Studios

Disney animation 'Zootopia' tops the box office US$67.4 million opening weekend take for 2013 Disney blockbuster 'Frozen.' – AFP/Relaxnews, March 7, 2016.Disney's "Zootopia" bounced its way to US$73 (RM297). 7 million in its US opening weekend, a record-setting box office debut for Disney Animation Studios, industry estimates showed yesterday.

The film about intrepid rabbit police officer Judy Hopps who works with a fox to solve a crime in the Zootopia animal kingdom topped the US$67.4 million opening weekend take for 2013 Disney blockbuster "Frozen."

Analysts said "Zootopia" was helped by very positive reviews as well as the relative lack of other family films currently in theatres.

Action thriller "London Has Fallen" was a distant second, earning US$21.7 million in its opening weekend, according to the estimates from industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said. Directed by Iranian-Swedish filmmaker Babak Najafi and starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman, the film is the sequel to 2013's "Olympus Has Fallen."

Superhero blockbuster "Deadpool" dropped to the third spot with US$16.4 million, contributing to its US$311.2 million take over four weeks. Starring Ryan Reynolds as a foul-mouthed Marvel anti-hero, "Deadpool" clocked the fastest rise of any R-rated movie in history following its debut.

"Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" was in fourth place after its opening weekend, earning US$7.6 million. The comedy starring Tina Fey was based on Kim Barker's memoir of being a female war reporter in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Falling from the second spot to fifth, "Gods of Egypt," which also stars Butler, took US$5 million in its second week. With a production budget of US$140 million, it was on track to be the year's first flop.

Rounding out the rest of the top 10 were:

– Risen US$3.9 million

– Kung Fu Panda 3 US$3.6 million

– The Revenant US$3.3 million

– Eddie the Eagle US$3.1 million

– The Witch US$2.5 million. – AFP, March 7, 2016.