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Who's buying a Mr. Pricklepants toy? (Hint: It's Kim.)

Kim Hollis: Toy Story 3 opened to $110.3 million, making it the most successful Pixar debut by end of business on Saturday. What do you take from this performance?

Reagen Sulewski: Toy Story has always been Pixar's marquee product, and the previous two were #1 and #3 respectively in their years, so it's no surprise that Toy Story 3 is remaining in that rarefied air. There's a lot to being first. If I had any surprise it would be in looking at the series as a whole, which has done so well with some really simple storytelling and clever gags - audiences could very easily have moved beyond the Toy Story style, and have not only stuck with it but embraced it.

Brett Beach: I will take on the role of resident grump in posing the following query: I am rapturous with the 99% Tomatometer and I don't want to downplay a three-figure opening weekend, one that beats both of Pixar's previous best weekends (even when adjusted for inflation) but how is it that with ten years of goodwill stored up, higher ticket prices and 3-D/IMAX screenings that this does not beat Shrek The Third (and might come in just under Shrek 2). I know that the $110 million is in line with expectations and that this will have tremendous legs and possibly wind up number one for the summer, but I am more than a little sad that Buzz and Woody could not take the title (in raw dollars) from old mean and green. How do Shrek 2 and 3 trump this? I know this may have been done to death back in the day, but I would be curious for some insight from the "old timers." Nonetheless I look forward to seeing this soon and bawling my eyes out.





Matthew Huntley: Like Brett, I am a bit surprised Toy Story 3 could only manage $110 million in its first three days, especially when its reviews and fan base suggest $125 million was much more likely. By the way, what does it say about the industry in general (and perhaps our bloated expectations) when people like us write, "...could only manage $110 million in its first three days...," as if that number is bad? It's definitely a great figure to start out with and I'm sure the word-of-mouth and repeat viewings will propel this movie to $350 million and beyond. I think the reason it came in under other animated juggernauts like Shrek the Third is because it's been more than ten years since the last Toy Story, so the hype and demand have deflated some (conversely, Shrek the Third came out only three years after Shrek 2). Because Pixar films tend to show amazing legs, this seemingly "milder" opening (if "milder" is even the correct word to use in this case) will probably be a moot point when all is said and done.

Josh Spiegel: I guess I'm still looking at this number as a figure I'll never see in my lifetime and accepting that it's pretty huge. It's Pixar's best opening, it may end up as the best June opening ever, and it's likely going to lead to Toy Story 3 being the highest grossing film of the year. I can't think of a definite explanation for why Shrek 3 got the higher number aside from front-loading, since that movie didn't have the greatest legs. I'll still be shocked if Toy Story 3 doesn't get close to $400 million, what with its amazing word-of-mouth, the 3D prices (Shrek 4 has already made more than 3 times its opening weekend gross), and the summer weekdays ahead.

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