The #1 movie of 2024 (“Inside Out 2”), as well as #3 (“ Despicable Me 4 “), and #7 (“Kung Fu Panda”) are animated features. The medium’s representations continue in streaming results, with Universal releasing “Despicable Me 4” on PVOD last week. An immediate #1 at both iTunes and Fandango, it remained at #5 in theaters last weekend.
It added another $8 million for a $330 million totall as usual, marketing for home viewing might have boosted its box office. And somehow, Sony’s 2017 “The Emoji Movie” is now a hit. It grossed $217 million worldwide amidst blistering reviews (a 12 Metacritic score, about as bad as a studio wide release has ever received); it debuted on Netflix this weekend and jumped to #1.
It reinforces the notion that animation is foolproof as long as it seems fresh. It is one of four animated titles on Netflix’s list, which includes one Netflix original (the Nickelodeon-Paramount production “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” earlier #1), as well as “Trolls Band Together” and “The Lorax” from Universal. However, the eight-month run of “The Super Mario Bros.
Movie” may be over. It has been absent from the Netflix top 10 for six days. “Despicable Me 4” is the sole new top 10 VOD title this week.
Last week’s #1, “A Quiet Place: Day One” (Paramount), dropped to second on both charts. Things will change with “Twisters” (Warner Bros.) debuting on Tuesday, likely at #1.
Next week Disney releases “I.