'Secret Life of Pets' fetches $103 million in opening days
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's a good time for animated animals at the box office.
"The Secret Life of Pets" follows "Zootopia" and "Finding Dory" as the latest success this year, opening to a massive $103.2 million according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures film cost only $75 million to produce, and features the voices of comedians like Louis C.K. and Kevin Hart.
"Pets" has been warmly received by critics and audiences, who gave the film a promising A- CinemaScore.
Not adjusting for inflation, "Pets" earned the title of best opening ever for an original animated property.
"Illumination has been building a consistency of vision, and now they have become what every studio covets — a draw," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box office tracker comScore.
While Disney is celebrating its overall box office, there is one dud on the books.
There were also a fair number of adults looking for something new to see this weekend without the kids, helping the raunchy R-rated comedy "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" surpass expectations with an estimated $16.6 million for a fourth place debut.
"The hope is that the momentum created by 'The Secret Life of Pets' will carry over to 'Ghostbusters,' 'Jason Bourne' and 'Suicide Squad,'" Dergarbedian said.
Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by 21st Century Fox; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.