Skip to main content

‘Finding Dory’ on track to smash box-office record for animated films

box office the girl on train finding dory pixar
Pixar Animation Studios
Disney and Pixar have again created what looks like box office gold. Finding Dory, the much belated sequel to 2003’s Finding Nemo is on its way to an impressive record: The film is expected to garner over $130 million at the domestic box office this weekend, which would make it the biggest debut to date of an animated flick, according to Deadline.

There are good indicators that Finding Dory will crush earlier records. Estimates put its first-day earnings at between $50 million to $52 million, which would top the $46 million brought in by current opening-day record-holder Minions (set July 10, 2015). The Nemo sequel’s Thursday previews were also unprecedented; Finding Dory grossed $9.2 million, yanking away yet another honor from Minions, which grossed $6.2 million, according to THR.

Recommended Videos

Assuming Finding Dory performs as projected, the film’s ticket sales would be enough to dethrone current animated top dog, DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek the Third, which opened to $121.63 million in 2007. Dory would also boast the best opening ever for any Disney-Pixar flick; Toy Story 3, which was released in 2010, is the reigning champ with its $110.3 million debut.

Finding Nemo, of course, deserves immense credit for building the foundation for Dory‘s popularity now. The film was received with enthusiasm in 2003, opening to $70.25 million and ultimately grossing $380.84 domestically, according to Box Office Mojo data. Its critical response was also notable. Not only did Nemo win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, it was nominated in three other Oscar categories as well.

Finding Dory brings back the characters made popular by its predecessor: Dory, a forgetful Pacific royal blue tang (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres); Marlin, a clownfish and concerned father (Albert Brooks); and Nemo, Marlin’s son (now voiced by Hayden Rolence, who replaces Alexander Gould). The trio’s adventure this time around is finding Dory’s family. The voice cast also includes Diane Keaton, Ed O’Neill, Eugene Levy, Kaitlin Olsen, and Ty Burrell.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
Robert Zemeckis wants to turn Back to the Future: The Musical into a movie
Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future.

Robert Zemeckis wants to make another Back to the Future ... sort of.

While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, Zemeckis revealed that if he were to film another Back to the Future, he would want to make Back to the Future: The Musical.

Read more
Orphan 3 is happening, with lead star Isabelle Fuhrman returning as Esther
A young girl stares with her mother behind her looking on.

The notorious legend of Esther will continue in Orphan 3.

Per Variety, a third film in the Orphan franchise is being developed, with Isabelle Fuhrman returning as Esther. Plot details on Orphan 3 are under wraps. David Coggeshall, who penned Orphan: First Kill, will write Orphan 3. Orphan: First Kill's director William Brent Bell will also helm Orphan 3. Dark Castle Entertainment announced the news, with Lionsgate planning to launch the sequel at the American Film Market this week.
“Dark Castle is excited to announce another terrifying chapter in the Orphan saga,” said Norman Golightly, co-CEO of Dark Castle Entertainment, in a press release. “With the past success of the first two movies and another thrilling storyline, we are confident that Orphan 3 will be a must-see movie for both current fans of the franchise and new fans alike.”
ORPHAN: FIRST KILL | Official Trailer | Paramount Movies

Read more
The best sci-fi movies on Max right now
Dr. Grant tries to lure the T-Rex away in Jurassic Park.

At the beginning of November, Max only added 23 new movies to its cinematic lineup. That's a lot fewer than its streaming rivals. It also means that the sci-fi movies on Max aren't the only genre that's being underserved by Warner Bros. Discovery. Since last month, War for the Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Leviathan, Predators, and High Life have all departed Max. Unfortunately, adding the first three Jurassic Park movies doesn't really do enough to offset that loss.

But since we can only work with what we have, the original Jurassic Park is one of our films in the spotlight for November. The other new addition, Watchmen Chapter 1, isn't arriving until November 18. That is an animated superhero movie, but it also has many sci-fi elements, and it's one of the best comic book stories ever created.

Read more