One set of adorable animals made way for another this weekend at the US box office, as reigning champ Finding Dory was finally deposed and Illumination's The Secret Life Of Pets took its place at the top of the charts with a studio-estimated $103.1 million.
The new arrival surpassed expectations and proved to be another big winner for the company which already has its Despicable Me and Minions films up and running. Plus, given the team's commitment to lower budgets (the new movie cost around $75 million, which is around half some of the competition), it's already headed to profitable territory.
The second place position is a still under contention, though the estimates show The Legend Of Tarzan currently holding on with $20.6 million, ahead of Dory in third on $20.3 million. Pixar and Disney are still happy with the film though, since it's now the animation house's top grossing film and has passed Captain America: Civil War to become the top earner domestically in 2016 so far. Worldwide, Pixar's favorite fish has now taken in more than $642.7 million and seems almost certain to join the billion dollar ranks as it opens across more countries in the coming weeks.
Fourth was new R-rated comedy Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates, which despite that seemingly low start and $16.6 million opening total, also beat expectations. It's a lower budget comedy ($33 million before prints and marketing), so it has less to earn back. The Purge: Election Year was pushed to fifth with $11.7 million.
Central Intelligence used its comedy muscles to hang on at sixth place and added $8.1 million, crossing the $100 million mark in the States. Independence Day: Resurgence continued to underperform and has yet to reach the same point domestically, earning $7.7 million, with its international take holding around $305 million. Not great when you consider the original's $817 million gross in 1996 dollars.
The BFG fell to eighth and $7.6 million and barely scraping close to $40 million with its total after a couple of weeks. The Shallows slipped a couple of places to ninth with $4.8 million, but has done well given its thrifty $17 million budget. And at 10 we find Indian romantic comedy wrestling pic Sultan, which is an impressive launch (and $2.2 million in the bank) considering it was playing on just 283 screens.