The 3D crunch is hitting the domestic summer box office, as this weekend’s boffo opener “Toy Story 3” marks the third consecutive 3D opening — and 3D toon — to earn a lower percentage of its gross from 3D venues than previous such offerings.
Actual weekend figures for the Disney/Pixar toon came in at $110.3 million, slightly ahead of Sunday’s estimates, with 60 percent of the weekend’s gross from 3D screens. The toon’s 3D grosses were 11 percent less than Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” opening, which earned 71 percent of its $116.1 million opening from 3D. With “Alice” just three weeks into its domestic run, Paramount and DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” then bowed March 26 with 68 percent from 3D, followed by “Shrek” on May 21 with a 62 percent 3D share.
Why the falling 3D shares? According to some B.O. observers, it’s mostly due to the 3D screen crunch causing competition among toons — but it’s also possible fami-lies are beginning to question the necessity of buying 3D tix on opening weekends. Some insiders question whether families are willing to pay 3D upcharges of several dollars each for the entire family — especially when the youngest tykes have trouble keeping glasses on.
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