By Ryan Parsons | Image property of DreamWorks Animation, Variety
Shrek Forever After
Now that we've got our box office estimates, it has only just occurred to me how competitive this Memorial Day weekend was. Though Prince of Persia and Sex and the City 2 were sure to pick up different audiences, Shrek Forever After was there to mix things up a bit. Though enjoying its second frame, the computer-generated sequel still had enough legs to take the holiday weekend.
Box Office Winner: Shrek Forever After
Both Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ($37.8 million) and Sex and the City 2 ($37.1 million) performed below expectations, giving Shrek Forever After the window it needed to come out on top with $55.7 million. Okay, so it really wasn't even close, making me think that audiences have begun to forgive DreamWorks for Shrek the Third. The film also benefited from the fact that it remained the most family oriented over a weekend that favors that lot.
"When you have a holiday weekend, often you want to do something with the entire family," DWA head of worldwide marketing Anne Globe said. "Fans have been invested in the 'Shrek' story for many years, and families want to see how the last chapter ends."
Though sounding confident, the weekend had to bring some relief to DWA, considering that this fourth Shrek bowed far below studio expectations. With nothing set to take the 3D screens away from DreamWorks until the arrival of Pixar's Toy Story 3 on June 18th, the film should turn out cranking in some nice revenue in the long haul.
All in all, the Memorial Weekend was down 19% over the same frame last year and ranks as one of the weakest performances for the holiday.
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