“‘Toy Story 3’ opens on pace for record”

Per THR:

The animated toys of “Toy Story 3” don’t have to worry about audiences abandoning them. Disney’s release of the third installment in the blockbuster franchise roared out of the gate, collecting an estimated $41 million at the North American boxoffice on Friday.

The G-rated feature, directed by Lee Unkrich, found business booming at the 4,025 locations where it is playing as it heads toward a weekend haul in the $115 million to $120 million range.

“Toy’s” Friday number was nearly double the opening-day gross of last year’s Pixar entry “Up,” and slightly ahead of the $39.3 million that “Shrek the Third” grabbed on its opening Friday. All of which puts “Toy” on a trajectory that could establish a new opening weekend record for an animated movie if it climbs ahead of the $121.7 million that the third “Shrek” opened to in 2007.

TS3 currently has a 99% rating at RottenTomatoes.com.