Pixar’s Finding Nemo sequel opened to $135 million domestically and went on to become the second biggest film of 2016 in the US, beaten only by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
While it doesn’t sound like the film has beaten the site-crashing Star Wars numbers, that still puts it on track to be one of the year’s biggest hits and all but guarantees a major opening weekend.
Even discounting Cinderella and The Jungle Book lending legitimacy to Disney’s remake venture, Beauty and the Beast is one of the Mouse House’s most beloved animated classics so has a massive potential audience.
That the film is gaining such high levels of excitement is hardly surprising.