Devesh
Core Member
The Secret Life of Pets" dominated the weekend box office in North America, racking up a massive $103.2 million and launching the first new franchise of the summer.
Its success is a feather in the cap for Illumination chief Chris Meledandri, confirming his status among the ranks of animation giants. The family film, which explores what dogs, cats and other animal companions do while their owners are busy at work, cost an economical $75 million to produce, roughly half of what most studios spend making animated movies. Universal is backing the picture, which launched across 4,370 locations.
"Illumination just has a way of creating 'want to see' movies," said Nick Carpou, Universal's domestic distribution chief. "They make movies that resonate with audiences."
And ones that spawn toylines. The cuddly creatures that populate "Pets" seem tailor made to sell stuffed animals and t-shirts, creating a financial windfall for the studio. The film deftly exploited dog and cat obsessed moviegoers to appeal to both parents and children. In the United States alone, Americans are expected to spend more than $62 billion in 2016 on their pets.
Its success is a feather in the cap for Illumination chief Chris Meledandri, confirming his status among the ranks of animation giants. The family film, which explores what dogs, cats and other animal companions do while their owners are busy at work, cost an economical $75 million to produce, roughly half of what most studios spend making animated movies. Universal is backing the picture, which launched across 4,370 locations.
"Illumination just has a way of creating 'want to see' movies," said Nick Carpou, Universal's domestic distribution chief. "They make movies that resonate with audiences."
And ones that spawn toylines. The cuddly creatures that populate "Pets" seem tailor made to sell stuffed animals and t-shirts, creating a financial windfall for the studio. The film deftly exploited dog and cat obsessed moviegoers to appeal to both parents and children. In the United States alone, Americans are expected to spend more than $62 billion in 2016 on their pets.