Disney’s Maleficent debuted to a powerful $70 million from 3,948 theaters at the North American box office in a major win for star Angelina Jolie and Disney. Overseas, the live-action fairy tale took in an impressive $100.6 million for a worldwide total of $170.6 million.

Jolie.  as the infamous sorceress fromSleeping Beauty — marked the best opening of Jolie’s career. In North America, the movie bested the $60.2 million launch of Kung Fu Panda (2008), the $50.9 million grossed by Wanted(2008) and the $50.3 million debut of Mr. & Mrs. Smith(2005).

Observers believe Maleficent benefited greatly from targeting girls and moms, the same core audience that turned Disney’sFrozen into a global Goliath. Females made up 60 percent of the audience, while 30 percent of ticket buyers were under the age of 18.

The PG-rated fantasy beat forecasts to easily top all films over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. Though “Maleficent” was early on considered a risky endeavor for Disney that might turn away family audiences by retelling “Sleeping Beauty” from the villain’s perspective, the film emerged as a hit largely because of the draw of Jolie.

Star power has been increasingly elusive in modern Hollywood, where name-brand concepts often rule the box-office. But Jolie, in her first live-action starring role in years, drove interest for “Maleficent” despite lackluster reviews from critics.

Source: Deadline Hollywood

 ABC will win its first May sweep in 14 years after finishing first in the demo on each of the final five weeks of the TV season.

With just two nights left to count heading into t season finale of “Dancing” and the closers for its Wednesday comedies, ABC ranks No. 1 for the 2014 May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5), leading CBS by 13% (1.5/5),NBC by 21% (1.4/4) and FOX by 31% (1.3/4). ABC also leads the month in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54), while standing as the top-rated broadcaster with Teens 12-17.

• First May Sweep Adult 18-49 Win in 14 Years and Longest Winning Streak in 7-1/2 Years: The Net is on track for its first May Sweep victory in 14 years among Adults 18-49 – since 2000. In fact, ABC has been building competitive momentum since the Winter Olympics concluded in February and has now finished No. 1 in Adults 18-49 for each of the last 5 Nielsen weeks to mark its longest winning streak in 7-1/2 years – since Fall 2006.

• ABC Wins Each Friday and Sunday of the May Sweep in Adults 18-49 – Top Friday in 7 Years: ABC took first place on each Friday during the May Sweep in Adults 18-49, building year over year by 14% to its highest number on the night in 7 years – since May 2007. ABC’s “Shark Tank” and “20/20” stood as Friday’s Top 2 TV shows of the May Sweep. In addition, ABC won all 4 Sundays in Adults 18-49, growing 5% year to year. The Net delivered Sunday’s No. 1 broadcast series in May with “Once Upon a Time.”

• Highest-Rated Series of the Month: ABC claims 7 of the Top 20 broadcast series during May in Adults 18-49, placing 3 of the Top 10: “Modern Family” – No. 2, “Grey’s Anatomy” – No. 6, “DWTS” – No. 10, “Once Upon a Time” – No. 12, while “S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Resurrection” and “Bachelorette” tie at No. 17. In addition, ABC’s “DWTS” is May’s most-watched unscripted series overall, outdrawing both installments of Fox’s “American Idol” and NBC’s “The Voice.”

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live + Same Day Program Ratings (4/24-5/19/14).

 

Disney Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier made box office history this past weekend, debuting to a record-breaking $96.2 million in North America and a  worldwide total of $303.3 million.

In only 10 days overseas, the sequel has already taken in $207.1 million — eclipsing the entire foreign run of Captain America: The First Avenger ($193.9 million). Domestically, Captain America 2, playing in 3,938 locations, scored the top April opening of all time. By the end of next weekend, the film may just surpass the entire global gross of The First Avenger ($370.6 million).

After a  32 territory $75 million-plus  international opening last weekend, Disney-Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is now aiming at a projected $90 million-plus opening Stateside.

The expected launch for the “Captain America” sequel would make it the largest April open ever domestically, eclipsing Universal’s “Fast Five,” which brought in $86 million-plus in 2011. Even with the anticipated huge stateside launch,  “Winter Soldier” will still fall short of the biggest Marvel openings attesting to the high consistency of the Disney-owned brand.

 

 

 

(source) Variety Magazine

 

Disney’s ‘Frozen’ Passes ‘Toy Story 3′ as the highest grossing  Animated Film of all time! $1.072B Worldwide. The two time Oscar winner earned 1.072B worldwide moving ahead ahead of another Disney movie,Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, to make it to No. 10 on the all-time worldwide box office chart.