Animation Bookends

On the Big Box Office List, animated features sit at the top ... and the bottom:

THREE DAYS OF GROSSES

1.) Coco (DIS), 3,987 theaters / Fri: $6.3M (-67%)/ 3-day cume: $27.8M (-45%)/Total:$110.4M / Wk 2

2.) Justice League (WB), 3,820 theaters (-231)/$4.5M Fri/ 3-day cume: $15.8M (-61%)/Total: $196.5M/ Wk 3

3.) Wonder (WB), 3,449 theaters (+277) /$3.6M Fri/3-day cume: $13.2M (-42%)/ /Total: $88.7M/Wk 3

4). Thor: Ragnarok (DIS), 3,148 theaters (-133) / $2.3M Fri/ 3-day cume: $9.36M (-44%) / Total cume: $291M / Wk 5

5) Daddy’s Home 2 (PAR), 3,403 theaters (-115) /$2.1M Fri/ 3-day cume: $7.45M (-44%)/ Total: $82.8M/Wk 4

6) Murder on the Orient Express (FOX), 3,201 theaters (+49)/ $2M Fri/ 3-day cume: $7M (-47%)/Total: $85M/ Wk 4

7) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO (FSL), 1,430 theaters (+816) / $1.4M Fri/ 3-day cume: $4.5M (+2%) /Total: $13.6M /Wk 4

9). Lady Bird (A24), 1,194 theaters (+403) /$1.2M Fri/3-day cume: $4M (0%)/ Total cume: $16.6M / Wk 5

10.) The Star (SONY), 2,822 theaters (-15) /$874K Fri / 3-day cume: $3.8M (-45%)/Total:$27.1M/Wk 3

Coco has hung in there, and remains #1 in its second weekend. (There has been no new wide releases, which helps.)

Ferdinand from Blue Sky Studios is the next high profile cartoon feature on the national release schedule, rolling out to multi-plexes on December 15th. Disney used the same underlying property -- a book by Munro Leaf -- for a short cartoon in 1938, earning an Oscar for its efforts. How will the long-form Ferdinand do?

On the plus side:

The strong ensemble voice cast led by John Cena’s titular character lends itself to parental appeal, a key to success when it comes to animated breakouts — particularly around the holiday season.

As the only other major studio animated offering through the holidays besides Disney/Pixar’s Coco, family crowds will likely gravitate toward this over Christmas and New Year’s.

And the negatives?

The character — based on a little known 20th century animated property — doesn’t have the built-in awareness among kids to turn this into a huge debut out of the gate.

Likewise, opening weekend competition is stiff (to say the least) as plenty of family audiences will be turning out for Star Wars. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will similarly be aiming for family audiences when it debuts closer to Christmas.

While healthy in general, social media activity currently lags behind that of last year’s Sing — particularly on Facebook.

So how does the new Ferdinand open? If it breaks into the fortys (of millions) against Star Wars, it can be chalked up as a success. (Coco made $50 million during its first domestic weekend. Ferdy will probably come in way lower than that.)