Johannesburg, South Africa – August 28, 2010 – Two weeks after becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3 will cross the $1 billion mark at the global box office today, joining Alice in Wonderland as the second $1 billion film this year from The Walt Disney Company’s studio – the first studio in history to accomplish this feat. Disney first crossed the $1 billion threshold with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest in 2006. Toy Story 3 becomes the only animated film to reach this milestone and the seventh title in industry history.
“It’s been an incredible year as we saw the Pixar team bring Buzz and Woody back to the big screen and watched Tim Burton’s vision for Alice in Wonderland take the world by storm,” said Rich Ross, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “These box office triumphs prove that creative storytelling brought to life by imaginative, inspired and talented professionals is something audiences respond to the world over.”
As of Thursday (8/26/10), Toy Story 3 tallied more than $592.9 million internationally, Disney’s largest international animated release. Latin American audiences have contributed $138 million making Toy Story 3 the highest grossing Disney film ever released in the region. Toy Story 3 is the most successful UK release in Disney history and currently stands as the fourth biggest title in territory history with $102.4 million in box office receipts so far. In Japan, the film has taken in $111.2 million and spent five consecutive weeks as the #1 movie. Toy Story 3 currently ranks as the #7 film in global box office history and domestically ranks #9 with $404.6 million in receipts to date.
Alice in Wonderland began setting records during its opening weekend (March 5-7), becoming the biggest March opening in industry history, the highest 3D opening ever and The Walt Disney Studios’ biggest opening for a non-sequel film. Internationally, the film went on to tally more than $690 million, becoming Disney’s biggest overseas release of all time and the fourth biggest title ever released overseas. Worldwide, the film took in $1.0243 billion, ranking it as the #5 film in global box office history.
About The Walt Disney Company in South Africa:
The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media group.
TWDC has been active in South Africa for over 50 years. In 2006 the Disney Channel launched on the Multichoice DStv platform and in 2009 was voted the #1 coolest TV channel in South Africa in the Sunday Times Generation NeXt survey. Disney is one of the top distributors of US programming in the region, and brings network series, movies and Disney-branded kids and family content to TV viewers, including top rated US network series on air in the market such as ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Brothers and Sisters’. In 2007, Disney’s film distribution arm is the leader for family movies in the market, enjoying considerable success in 2009 with box office hits such as ‘Up’ and ‘The Proposal’ and in 2010 with the record breaking ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Disney is now also at the forefront of bringing new technologies to the market through classic film titles such as ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ on Blu-Ray and DVD. In 2009 Disney launched a direct to consumer mobile site for consumers in South Africa (disneysa.mobi), allowing tweens and families to access a range of Disney content directly from their mobile phones.
About The Walt Disney Studios
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Marvel, and Touchstone Pictures, which includes the distribution of live action films from DreamWorks Studios. Through the Home Entertainment and Television divisions, innovative distribution methods provide access to creative content across multiple platforms. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!. For more information, please visit www.disney.com.