LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Disney's live action revisit of the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" smashed box office records for March openings over the weekend, debuting to an estimated $170.0M domestically and $350.0M internationally, according to figures published by comScore.
The previous record holder for the top opening in March was Warner Bros.’ “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which generated $166 million in box office reciepts in North America in 2016.
Disney's new take on the classic fairy tale stars Belle (Emma Watson), as a Disney princess who is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle and comes to love him for the man that lurks inside of the beast's menacing exterior.
Directed by Bill Condon, the film was a pricey project for Disney, with a reported production budget of $160 million.
Based on an 18th century French fairy tale, the story has been a winner for Disney who scored a hit with it in 1991 as one of their first animated films of the modern era. After the 1991 movie racked up $425 million for Disney, they spun it into an wide-ranging franchise that included multiple sequels as well as everything from toys to theme restaurants.
Warner Bros. "Kong: Skull Island" slipped to the #2 spot in both North American and international theaters, adding $67.3M to its cumulative totals domestically over the weekend, while 20th Century Fox's edgy superhero action-adventur slasher Logan was comfortably in third place, in both North America and abroad, adding $49.0M to its take over the weekend.
The top 12 worldwide weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, March 19, are below.
1. Beauty And The Beast – Disney – $350.0M
2. Kong: Skull Island – Warner Bros. – $67.3M
3. Logan – 20th Century Fox – $49.0M
4. Get Out – Universal – $16.1M
5. Dog's Purpose, A – Multiple – $12.5M
6. Sing – Universal – $9.4M
7. Split – Universal – $7.3M
8. Lego Batman Movie, The – Warner Bros. – $7.1M
9. Shack, The – Lionsgate – $6.1M
10. Hidden Figures – 20th Century Fox – $5.0M
11. Moana – Disney – $5.0M
12. Badrinath Ki Dulhania – Multiple – $4.4M
The top 12 domestic weekend box office estimates, listed in descending order, per data collected as of Sunday, March 19, are below.
1. Beauty And The Beast – Disney – $170.0M
2. Kong: Skull Island – Warner Bros. – $28.9M
3. Logan – 20th Century Fox – $17.5M
4. Get Out – Universal – $13.2M
5. Shack, The – Lionsgate – $6.1M
6. Lego Batman Movie, The – Warner Bros. – $4.7M
7. Belko Experiment, The – OTL Releasing – $4.1M
8. Hidden Figures – 20th Century Fox – $1.5M
9. John Wick: Chapter Two – Lionsgate – $1.2M
10. Before I Fall – Open Road – $1.0M
11. Lion – The Weinstein Company – $0.8M
12. La La Land – Lionsgate – $0.5M
