Pixar’s “Brave” Dominates At Box Office

Animated films ruled the US box office last weekend, capturing the top two places. Brave, directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, grossed $66.3 million in its debut. That figure is virtually identical to last summer’s Cars 2, slightly better than WALL•E and slightly lower than Up. The real test will be in the weeks ahead, as we’ll watch to see whether it has box office legs like Toy Story 3 and Up or plummets quickly like Cars 2.

DreamWorks’ Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, which debuted with $60.3 million three weekends ago, beat out newcomers like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and captured $19.7 million for a strong second place showing. With $157 million in the bank already, the film is on a pace to beat the domestic grosses of the first two entries in the Madagascar series.