Pixar’s Monsters University rakes in $82M in its domestic debut

Pixar earned its 14th No. 1 at the box office this weekend — out of 14 releases. Yep, the animation studio, now owned by Disney, has never not opened a film in first place. Its latest release, Monsters University, was no exception. It finished at the top of its class, according to Entertainment Weekly.  The film grossed $82-million in its domestic debut.

“Monsters University” paced a high-traffic summer weekend for Hollywood: Paramount’s big-budget zombie flick “World War Z” allayed fears of a flameout with a strong $66-million debut ($110-million global); and last week’s champ, Warner Bros./DC’s “Man of Steel,” grossed $41.2-million, according to the Washington Post.

Will Monsters University be the new Cars 2?

Disney/Pixar’s upcoming Monsters University feature is “the first Pixar movie in memory that is basically registering as ‘no big deal’ to the film community,” according to Forbes.

Since 2010, Pixar has released only one original film, Brave, along with three based on previous properties: Toy Story 3, Cars 2, and Monsters University (the Monsters, Inc. prequel coming to theaters this summer), according to Slate.

Disney tarts up Brave’s Merida angering thousands in the process

The news came in a press release today, “Disney today proudly welcomed Merida from Disney∙Pixar’s Academy Award® winning film, “Brave,” into the Disney Princess royal court.”

I suppose that would have been fine but Disney went a step further – they decided to tart up Merida.  “The animated character has received a head-to-toe makeover — she’s thinner, her eyes are wider,” according to the Huffington Post.

Disney drops their attempt to trademark “Dia de los Muertos” after public outcry

After a flurry of online outrage, Disney has decided to no longer pursue a trademark on “Dia de los Muertos,” according to the OC Weekly.

The backlash was swift, and late Tuesday afternoon a Disney spokesperson issued this statement, according to KPCC:

Walt Disney Studios movies and TV programs are coming to Netflix

Netflix and The Walt Disney Studios Announce Multi-Year Premium Pay TV Window Agreement in the United States

Netflix Members to Enjoy Watching High Quality Films from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Disneynature

Dec 4, 2012

BEVERLY HILLS and BURBANK, Calif., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq:NFLX) and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) today announced a new multi-year licensing agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run live-action and animated feature films from The Walt Disney Studios.

Monster University opening on December 19!

Disney Pixar’s Monster University is opening on December 19.  I can’t wait!  Click here to see all of the Disney Pixar Monster University teaser videos.

Should DCA have gone with an Avengers Land instead of Cars Land?

“Trips to Disney’s Anaheim parks hit an all-time high for the spring and early summer season, just as the transformation of Disney California Adventure was being unveiled,” according to an article published by the O.C. Register on August 8, 2012.

“Disney essentially bet the farm with Cars Land as the land, with its incredibly detailed Ornament Valley Mountain Range and E-Ticket attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, was rumored to cost nearly $1 billion by itself, or nearly as much as the entire Disney California Adventure park when it first opened in 2001,” according to the Huffington Post.