'Coco' and Mexico's Day of the Dead rule at the box office

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The animated Disney and Pixar hit "Coco" ruled at the North American box offices for a second week, figures out Sunday showed, beating out superheroes, dramas and Christmas comedies.

It netted an estimated 26 million dollars for the three-day weekend and 109 million dollars since it opened over the Thanksgiving Day holiday, Exhibitor Relations said.

Miguel and Hector from the box office smash hit,"Coco." / WallpaperSite Photo

The film tells the story of a 12-year-old Mexican boy Miguel, who longs to become a musician but faces a generations-old family ban on music.

"Coco," which takes Miguel into the magical Land of the Dead, where trickster Hector helps him unravel a deep family secret, received a rare A+ rating from audiences surveyed by CinemaScore.

The film also enjoyed a stirring second weekend at the Chinese box office. It more than doubled its earnings as it held on to top spot.

Unlike its opening weekend, where it had to come from behind, “Coco” was dominant on every day of its second weekend. And every day represented spectacular improvements.

The family members of Miguel. / WallpaperSite Photo

Last Friday’s 7.74 million US dollars take was a 300% improvement on its opening day, according to data from China’s Ent Group.

Saturday’s 19.2 million US dollars was a 171% improvement. Sunday’s 16.8 million US dollars was a 94% out-performance.

They added up to a 43.7 million US dollars second weekend, up 147% on its 18 million US dollars opening three days.

That is Disney’s second-highest weekend for an animated film in China, after “Zootopia.” It was also a wide margin ahead of the film’s 26.1 million US dollars second-weekend screening in North America.

Having come from behind in its opening a week earlier, the film has benefited from strong word of mouth all week – despite all the ghosts that could have posed problems with China’s superstition-averse censors.

(Top image credit: Disney /Pixar)

Source(s): AFP