Cars 3 zooms by Wonder Woman
The third “Cars” movie from Walt Disney Co.’s Pixar topped the box office in theatres, beating a slew of middling new releases and dethroning two-time champ “Wonder Woman.”
The animated sequel made its debut with sales of $53.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, researcher ComScore Inc. estimated Sunday. “All Eyez on Me,” the Tupac Shakur biopic from Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., opened to $27 million to place third. Two other new movies, “47 Meters Down” and “Rough Night,” placed fifth and seventh, respectively.
The first two films in the “Cars” franchise have reflected the growing clout of markets abroad. “Cars 2” collected 34.1 per cent of its overall box office domestically, down from 52.8 per cent for the 2006 original. The series pales in comparison to some of Pixar’s biggest smashes, including last year’s “Finding Dory” which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.
In “Cars 3,” Owen Wilson returns as the voice of Lightning McQueen. Blindsided by a new generation of racing cars and facing relegation from the sport he loves, McQueen enlists the help of a young technician, voiced by Cristela Alonzo.
The new movie scored better with critics than the second instalment, receiving 64 per cent positive reviews, according to aggregator Rottentomatoes.com.
A budget for “Cars 3” wasn’t disclosed. Pixar spent around $200 million on “Cars 2,” not including marketing, according to Box Office Mojo.
The newest instalment had been forecast to earn $56 million in its opening weekend, according to BoxOfficePro.com.
The haul by “Cars 3” beat “Wonder Woman,” which had box-office sales of $40.8 million in its third weekend.