Pixar’s Coco feasts on Justice League at box office

NEW YORK — Pixar’s Coco sang its way to the fourth best American Thanksgiving weekend ever, with an estimated $71.2 million US over the five-day weekend, a total that easily toppled Warner Bros.’ Justice League.

Coco rode strong reviews and an A-plus CinemaScore from audiences to the top spot at the domestic box office. According to studio estimates Sunday, it grossed $49 million from Friday to Sunday. Centred on the Mexican holiday Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Coco has already set box office records in Mexico, where it has made $53.4 million in three weeks.

After a disappointing debut last weekend, the much-maligned DC Comics superhero team-up film Justice League slid to second with $40.7 million. In the five-day holiday frame, it earned about $60 million. Justice League is faring better overseas, where it has made more than $300 million.

The two top spots told a familiar tale: Quality is trumping mediocrity at the box office, where Rotten Tomato ratings bear considerable weight and where word-ofmouth spreads lightning quick. Coco is Pixar’s sixth release to land an A-plus CinemaScore from audiences. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes rating, 96 per cent fresh, is more than double that of Justice League (41 per cent).

“In a world where moviegoing and quality seem to be connected, having a brand that has as consistently as Pixar has delivered on very high expectations definitely makes our work a little easier,” said Dave Hollis, distribution chief for the Walt Disney Co., which owns Pixar. “This is once again Pixar doing what they do best.”

The success of Coco came just as reports of sexual misconduct were published regarding Pixar co-founder and Disney Animation chief creative officer John Lasseter. On Tuesday, Lasseter announced that he was taking “a six-month sabbatical.” He acknowledged “missteps” and “unwanted hugs” with employees. Disney has said it supports Lasseter’s leave of absence.

Coco is the latest in a long line of hits he has overseen.

The film, directed by Lee Unkrich and codirected by Adrian Molina, is one of the largest U.S. productions ever to feature a largely all-Latino cast.

Hispanics made up 23 per cent of frequent moviegoers last year. Coco also performed well elsewhere, such as in China where it made $18.2 million.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore, called the film’s result a positive story in “a week that was pretty challenging for Pixar.”

“The future may lie in content like this, where you’re telling stories about real human beings and about diversity,” said Dergarabedian. “The Hispanic audience is key to the success of any given box office year, given the frequency and passion for moviegoing.”

Still, the most profitable movie currently at the box office might be the Lionsgate family release Wonder, directed by Stephen Chbosky. Starring Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts, the film — which carries a production budget of $20 million — has made $69.4 million. It slid just 19 per cent in its second week, with $22.3 million in ticket sales.