The trajectory of American theatrical animation just changed forever with a massively successful opening weekend for Sony’s Sausage Party, directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon.
Based on a story by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Jonah Hill, Sausage Party pulled in a $34.3 million, good for second place behind Suicide Squad and the best-ever launch for an animated release in August. And because the film was playing in 1,150 less theaters than Suicide Squad, Sausage Party claimed the highest per-theater average in the top 10 with $11,042.
The storyline you’re going to hear throughout the mainstream entertainment press today is that Sausage Party outperformed expectations and can be considered a major surprise. But why is it a surprise that a high-quality CG-animated film that offered something unique and different would be a hit with audiences?