Even after facing mixed reviews and negative attitude from fans, nothing can stop a Pixar bullet train!
Cars 2 is on track to rake in as much as $70 million in its opening weekend, much more than the media had anticipated. Estimates for this Friday put the film at a healthy:
$25.7 million
This figure might not seem like much compared to Toy Story 3‘s monumental success last year, but this is actually one of 2011’s biggest openers yet. Cars 2 may not be the critical success we would have hoped for, but it’s sure looking like another financial winner from Pixar!
Your thoughts?
(via The Hollywood Reporter)
Last modified: June 25, 2011
I’ve been thinking alot about this and feel the need to point out that in art, failures are necessary for success. I don’t think this movie is a huge failure, but Pixar will keep learning from the “mistake” and making better and better art.
Financially, the toy revenue alone seems to make this movie a success, and I’m betting it will hardly suffer in the box office from the negative criticism. If you look on Rotten Tomatoes, the user rating is at 73% (yesterday it was at 77%, so I wonder if the critics’ booing skewed our perceptions a bit). And despite all negativity (which can be a killjoy to creativity if you allow it), I am giving my movie dollars to see this movie….because I know a better one is coming soon!
Nobody’s underestimating Cars 2’s engine. A lot of movies make money that maybe aren’t the greatest (Transformers), so that’s not a terrific measure. But Cars 2 just isn’t that great a movie. Visually stunning, and it had some nice moments, but it somehow escaped the craftsmanship that Pixar has previously always brought to the table. In that sense we all need to step back and put aside our denial. They need not to do this kind of thing again.
Martini833- I’ve been thinking about this. Remember how Cars 2 was originally slated for a 2012 release? Do you think Pixar would have bulked up the story a bit more if they were able to work until then? Do you think Disney put pressure on Pixar to make a sequel to Cars because of how well the franchise has done in terms of merchandice? I wonder how John Lasseter feels about the reception Cars 2 is getting.
Some good points in this conversation but I’d like to point out that Cars 2 has been underestimated. Anon #2, original box-office projections had Cars 2 underperforming, even below the opening of the original Cars in 2006. Everybody knows it’s a merchandising cash cow, but nobody really knows how well it will do in theaters.
I’m sorry to say this as I’m a huge Pixar fan, I saw Cars 2 today and it is awful.. Extremely boring and with a convoluted story too difficult to grasp by children and adults alike.
Worst Pixar Movie!
I’m very disappointed. Looking forward to Brave.
Andy
Seriously, why do people say this movie is awful? It is still way better than anything else other animation companies put out. I hate how just because everyone thought that Cars was the worst Pixar film, that they instantly show dislike for this one. “Ew, they’re talking cars!” Get over it, it’s different. Why does it always hafta be animals? There are hundreds of successful shows where vehicles talk. Kids love ‘em, parents love ‘em. I mean, I don’t get it. “Where’s the magic??” Oh come on. I feel like people are comparing this movie to TS3 way too much. That was a beautiful film, even if Pixar tried to make another tear-jerker after TS3, it would still be looked down upon cuz everyone is still in the Toy Story phase. I gotta say, I LOVED Hawiian Vacation, but it being before Cars 2 reminded people of how heart-warming and magical the last Pixar film was so they’re going in, expecting that again, even though this film wasn’t made to do that. It’s about action and excitement, which it delivered the whole way through.
“It is still way better than anything else other animation companies put out.”
So I’m guessing you didn’t see Rango, Rio, or Kung Fu Panda 2?
Rio was cute. Hated Kung foo panda 2 (same as first—but far less interesting). Rango was one of the worst cartoons ever made. Ugly, no story, weak characterizations, juvenile, boring…strictly for the very smallest of children.
In my opinion, Cars 2 is better than Rio. I haven’t see Rango and Kung Fu Panda 2…..
But I think also that Cars 2 is a huge step under the original Cars, Ratatuoille and Up. And I didn’t mentioned Toy Story 3 and Finding Nemo, in my opinion, Pixar’s best movies!
“Rango was one of the worst cartoons ever made. Ugly, no story, weak characterizations, juvenile, boring…strictly for the very smallest of children.”
Surely you meant to say ‘Cars 2’ in that sentence, Rango was one of the best animated films this year.
And while I agree that Kung Fu Panda didn’t live up to the first, it is still lightyears ahead of Cars 2 in my (and practically everyone elses) opinion