After less than a month at the multiplexes, Disney-Pixar’s 3-D toon “Up” has enough lift to likely become the second-highest-grossing Pixar title at the domestic B.O. after “Finding Nemo.” “Up’s” boffo run is the latest example of how 3-D runs can boost a film’s bottom line through higher ticket prices. The film’s 3-D runs make up only 40% of the total screen count, yet they contribute 60% of the gross. At the rate it’s going, “Up” will soon surpass the $206.4 million grossed by Pixar’s “Ratatouille” in summer 2007, and the $223.8 million grossed domestically by Pixar’s “Wall-E” last summer. “Finding Nemo,” released in 2003, cumed $339.7 million domestically. Next-best Pixar grosser is “The Incredibles” at $261.4 million. Based on its performance, box office observers now believe “Up” has every chance of surpassing “Incredibles.” – from Variety

Up trounced everyone at the box office this weekend with an excellent $68 million take. The rest of the field, however, was disappointing. Drag Me to Hell, despite good reviews, couldn’t get past $17 million, while Night at the Museum fell more than anticipated. Same goes for Star Trek and Terminator. Star Trek did become the first film of 2009 to top the $200 million mark.

Up – $68.2M – $68.2M
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian – $25.5M – $105M
Drag Me to Hell – $16.6M – $16.6M
Terminator Salvation – $16.1M – $90.7M
Star Trek – $12.8M – $210M
Angels & Demons – $11.2M – $105M
Dance Flick – $4.9M – $19.2M
X-Men Origins: Wolverine – $3.9M – $171M
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – $1.91M – $50M
Obsessed – $665K – $67.5M

Up should soar this weekend. The new Pixar film is getting raves and should net somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 million. The other newcomer is Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, which is getting fine reviews and will offer solid counter programing to the family movies coming out. Look for around $25 million. Night at the Museum 2 should do a solid $30-35 million. Star Trek and Terminator Salvation should do in the $20 million range.

New this week:

Up
Reviews have been nothing short of spectacular. Catch this one.

Drag Me to Hell
Great return to the horror genre for Sam Raimi. He hasn’t forgotten his sense of humor. Could be a sleeper hit.

Given the inherent three-dimensional quality evident in Pixar’s cutting-edge output, the fact that the studio’s 10th animated film is the first to be presented in digital 3-D wouldn’t seem to be particularly groundbreaking in and of itself. But what gives “Up” such a joyously buoyant lift is the refreshingly nongimmicky way in which the process has been incorporated into the big picture — and what a wonderful big picture it is. Winsome, touching and arguably the funniest Pixar effort ever, the gorgeously rendered, high-flying adventure is a tidy 90-minute distillation of all the signature touches that came before it. – From The Hollywood Reporter

Disney has released 38 photos from Pixar’s Up. Some of the photos you may have seen before. Others, like the photo above, you have not. You can even view some live-action production photos, showing you some of the people behind the film, for instance the actor who plays Russell. – From SlashFilm

Pixar’s new film Up has begun to screen for press, here is some of the few bits of early buzz to leak onto the web
and twitter. Big shocker… people loved it:

Movie Matters : “Up is at times quite breathtaking.”

trevorhale: UP wasn’t the best Pixar movie, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it.

21463848-22125404_normalmarcusleshock: Looks like PIxar has done it again. I cried like a baby during “Up.”

From SlashFilm

JJ’s Star Trek:

Up:

Year One:

Fast And Furious 4:

And Disney’s Up can be viewed here.