Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 24 June 2019
'Toy Story 4' opens big but below expectations with $118M

By JAKE COYLE mates Sunday, ranks as
AP Film Writer the fourth highest animat-
NEW YORK (AP) — "Toy Sto- ed film opening ever, not
ry 4" brought the box office accounting for inflation.
to life with a $118 million Above it are 2018's "Incred-
opening weekend after a ibles 2" ($182 million), 2016's
three-week slump of under- "Finding Dory" ($135 mil-
performing sequels, but the lion), and 2007's "Shrek the
Pixar film's below-expec- Third" ($121 million). It's the
tations debut didn't quell year's third largest debut,
continuing concerns about trailing only a pair of other
a rocky summer movie sea- Disney releases: "Avengers:
son. Endgame" and "Captain
The "Toy Story 4" opening, Marvel."
according to studio esti- But heading into the week-
This undated image provided by Disney/Pixar shows a scene from the movie "Toy Story 4."
Associated Press

end, a $140-150 million of making sure that this is a 27.2% from the same frame
opening had seemed as- story people want told, the last year. Overwhelming
sured for "Toy Story 4," which end result speaks for itself." the industry's market lead-
played in 4,575 North Amer- The overall marketplace er, Disney was thought im-
ican theaters. Adjusted for didn't give "Toy Story 4" mune to any sequel down-
inflation, the film came in much momentum. Last turn.
shy of the $110.3 million — week's top film, Sony Pic- But most other studios
or about $129 million in to- tures' poorly reviewed "Men would love to have a film
day's dollars — "Toy Story 3" in Black International" slid 64 underperform to $118 mil-
made nine years ago. percent, slipping to fourth lion, with an expectation of
The opening for "Toy Story place with $10.8 million. long-term playability. Out-
4" followed a string of dis- The No. 2 film, Orion Pic- side Sony's upcoming "Spi-
appointing sequels includ- tures' horror remake "Child's der-Man: Homecoming,"
ing "Dark Phoenix," ''Godzil- Play" — cheekily positioned ''Toy Story 4" has no family-
la: King of the Monsters" as the weekend's R-rated friendly competition until
and "Men in Black: Inter- toy movie — also opened Disney's own "Lion King" re-
national." But "Toy Story 4" below expectations with make opens July 19.
had something those films $14.1 million. A remake of "The numbers being ban-
didn't: great reviews. It the 1988 original, the film died about out there pre-
rates 98% fresh on Rotten stars Aubrey Plaza with weekend were certainly
Tomatoes. Audiences gave Mark Hamill voicing the much higher than the num-
it an A CinemaScore. knife-wielding doll Chucky. ber that it came in with,"
The sequel, which intro- Luc Besson's assassin thriller said Paul Dergarabedian,
duces the child-made "Anna" missed out on the senior media analyst for
plaything Forky (voiced top 10 entirely, opening Comscore. "But if we bring
by Tony Hale) to the voice with a mere $3.5 million in it down to earth and put
cast including Tom Hanks 2,114 theaters. Lionsgate, some perspective on this,
and Tim Allen, also grossed which bought U.S. distri- it was still a franchise-high
$120 million internationally, bution rights in 2017, did debut. It was a global
including a modest $13.4 little to promote the film in opening of $238 million."
million in China, the world's advance of its release. In But with underwhelming
second largest film mar- 2018, Besson was accused returns for even critically
ket. It was trounced there of a rape by the actress acclaimed comedies like
by the rerelease of Hayao Sand Van Roy. A lawyer for "Booksmart" and seemingly
Miyazaki's 2001 animated Besson denied the accusa- surefire bets like "The Secret
classic "Spirited Away" from tion and French authorities Life of Pets 2," little has gone
Studio Ghibli, the Japan dropped the investigation according to plan in Holly-
animation studio that has in February citing a lack wood's primetime season.
often served as an inspira- of evidence. Eight other "The summer has been a
tion to Pixar. women also accused Bes- real head-scratcher," said
Cathleen Taff, distribution son of sexual misconduct in Dergarabedian.
chief for Disney, said the a French publication. In limited release, Neon's
company was thrilled with In a summer season that's "Wild Rose," about a Scot-
the opening and praised running 6.5% off the pace tish single mother (Jessie
Pixar's high standards. of last year, according to Buckley) who dreams of
"The Pixar team has always Comscore, many had po- being a country music star,
been disciplined about sitioned "Toy Story 4" as a opened with a per-theater
making sure they have a surefire savior, due in part average of $14,046 in four
compelling story to tell, to the enviable track re- locations, and Magno-
and that is especially true cord of Disney and Pixar. lia Pictures' documentary
when it comes to sequels if (Disney's "Aladdin" remake "Toni Morrison: The Pieces
you look at their past," said this weekend passed $800 I Am" debuted with a per-
Taff. "Their process of sort million worldwide.) Instead, theater average of $11,000
of going through the rigor the weekend was down in four locations.q