ZOOTOPIA: Scores #1 Disney Animation Debut with $74 Million

Disney Animation's Zootopia has officially broken the all-time box-office debut weekend take with a $74 Million domestic haul. As Variety has reported, the studio's 55th feature film has not only been incredibly successful at the box office, now with a $233 Million global box-office intake, but also scoring an incredibly impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Zootopia bests the previous domestic box office record for Disney Animation previously held by Frozen's $67 Million, and stands alongside 1938's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (98% Fresh), 1940's Pinocchio (100% Fresh), and 1961's 101 Dalmatians (98% Fresh) with the studio's highest universal critical acclaim records. Read more to find out what Zootopia's success means for Disney Animation in the future after the break.  

Zootopia's success is a direct reflection of the upward trajectory that Disney's new resurgence has been climbing to. Following in the critical and financial successes of Disney's most recent releases, Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen, and Big Hero 6, Zootopia looks to best all five of these films, which in-of-itself was a tall order. However, directors Byron Howard (Bolt, Tangled) and Rich Moore (Wreck-it Ralph) brought with them both expertise and  experience.

What's most exciting about Zootopia's success is how it fits into Disney Animation's long-term game plan. Looking forward, Disney Animation looks to release Moana, an action adventure musical, on November 23rd, 2016 and Gigantic, following the timeless story of Jack and the Beanstalk, on March 9th, 2018. Here's the brief synopsis for Moana: In ancient Oceania, in the South Pacific, the young Moana, a born navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui. Moana will probably follow in the line of success of Frozen, being particularly popular in the Disney Princess brand and the Disney fan community. Although unlike Frozen, we should expect a bigger opening weekend for Moana, especially after the success of Zootopia, as well as the desire for more animated musical fair, particularly from the House of Mouse. 

As for Disney's Gigantic, I'd expect the film to both combine the likes of the classic Disney animated fairy tale and the new, original stories like Wreck-it Ralph and Zootopia. The Gigantic synopsis is as follows:  Set in Spain during the Age of Discovery, the film will follow Jack as he discovers a world of giants hidden within clouds. There he befriends a female giant Inma, who is "11 years old, 60 feet tall, fiery, feisty and a lot to control" and initially treats him like a living doll. Jack agrees to help Inma find her way home, while they try to stop the Storm Giants, who stand at 120 feet, from destroying the giant community. Hopefully we'll see Gigantic perform as well, if not better than, Zootopia, especially since it will be coming after a year-long Disney animation hiatus in 2017.

Regardless, Zootopia's success is well deserved and shows how Disney Animation isn't going anywhere!