Box Office Opening, Animation | featured news

The forecast was bright at the box-office for "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," which earned $30.1 million to lead this weekend's films.

Sony toon earns $8.1 million, 'The Informant' lands second -- With a smorgasbord of choices at the multiplex, including headliners by Jennifer Aniston, Matt Damon and Megan Fox; Friday moviegoers’ savored Sony’s 3-D toon "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," shelling out $8.1 million.

Hollywood planned a 2nd straight weekend friendly for family filmgoers who have pent-up demand. With 20% of K-through-12 out of school today, Pixar/Disney's 10th pic and first 3-D movie, Up, was able to get a jump on the domestic box office with busy matinees from 1,534 3-D theaters -- a record -- and a total of 3,766 theatres total.

By Joshua Rich
The 3-D animated event won the weekend box office, as ''The Haunting in Connecticut'' exceeded expectations

"Monsters vs. Aliens" got off to a monstrous start on Friday, with an estimated $16.8 million in first-day domestic boxoffice.