Madagascar 3 box office: Impressive debut
The Prometheus movie monsters have been beaten by Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’s cuddly talking animals. And if studio estimates are accurate, Prometheus was – surprisingly – more than $10 million behind Madagascar 3.
Madagascar 3’s North American debut is impressive any way you look it, especially considering that, as Ray Subers points out at Box Office Mojo, animated sequels haven’t been faring all that well at the domestic box office. For instance, despite inflation, both Happy Feet Two and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked opened last year to around half as much as their predecessors.
Subers also notes that Madagascar 3 was lucky in that 2012 hasn’t offered any major “family movies” (read: movies for children that adults are coerced, forced, compelled, feel obligated to attend) since Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in early March. Internationally, Madagascar 3 raked in $75.5 million, for a worldwide total of $135.9 million. The animated feature was officially budgeted at $145 million.
Directed by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and Conrad Vernon, and written by Darnell and Fantastic Mr. Fox’s Noah Baumbach, Madagascar 3 features the voices of Little Fockers’ Ben Stiller, Friends’ David Schwimmer, Grown Ups’ Chris Rock, The Dictator’s Sacha Baron Cohen, The Matrix Reloaded’s Jada Pinkett Smith, The Tree of Life’s Jessica Chastain, Moonrise Kingdom’s Frances McDormand, Standby Lovers’ Paz Vega, Shrek’s Chris Miller, Rock of Ages’ Bryan Cranston, Frankenweenie’s Martin Short, Tom McGrath, and Andy Richter.
Assisted by outstanding business at 298 (costlier) IMAX locations (18 percent of the film’s box office total) and 3D surcharges, Ridley Scott’s Prometheus took in $50 million (including $3.56 million from Thursday midnight screenings) at 3,396 North American locations, versus Madagascar 3’s 3D-assisted $60.35 million at 4,258 venues. Those box office estimates are found at boxofficemojo.com.
Madagascar 3 features the voices of Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Chastain, Frances McDormand, Paz Vega, Chris Miller, Bryan Cranston, Martin Short, Tom McGrath, and Andy Richter.
Box Office: Snow White and the Huntsman. Trailing both Prometheus and the 3D animated feature Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, Rupert Sanders’ Snow White and the Huntsman took in $7.5 million on Friday in North America as per studio estimates. That’s down a hefty 63 percent compared to its opening day a week ago.
Starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, and Sam Claflin, Snow White and the Huntsman was expected to reach $26 million for the weekend, thus passing the $100 million milestone in North America after only 10 days. Now it remains unclear whether or not SWATH will reach that mark by Sunday evening, as its Friday gross was about 8 percent less than early estimates indicated.
On the positive side, Snow White and the Huntsman was up 84 percent on Friday compared to the day before. Apart from the expanded Moonrise Kingdom, that was by far the highest surge among the top twelve movies. In other words, a Friday-to-Saturday surge that could propel SWATH to the other side of the $100 million mark isn’t impossible. Cume after eight days: $83 million.
A curiosity: two Snow White and the Huntsman performers have two movies among the top five on the North American box office chart. Charlize Theron’s other box office winner is Prometheus; Chris Hemsworth’s is The Avengers. See below.
At no. 4, Men in Black III raked in $4.2 million, and is expected to collect $14 million for the weekend. The Avengers was next in line with $3.3 million on Friday and about $13 million by Sunday evening. Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers features Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hiddleston.
The Hunger Games to pass $400 million milestone
Of note, Gary Ross’ The Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence / Liam Hemsworth / Josh Hutcherson, collected an additional $322,000. Currently with a cume of $399.5 million, the dystopian action-adventure will pass the $400 million milestone either later today or on Sunday.
At four theaters, Lola Versus scored a so-so $8,900 for a per-theater average of $2,225. Directed by Daryl Wein, Lola Versus features Greta Gerwig, Bill Pullman, Joel Kinnaman, and three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger (An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, Shadowlands).
June 9 early morning
Box office: Prometheus movie vs. Madagascar 3. Assisted by savvy marketing, excellent business at IMAX locations, and 3D surcharges, Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, a prequel of sorts to Scott’s 1979 sci-fi/horror classic Alien, is off to a strong start at 3,396 theaters in North America. Slightly behind on Friday, the 3D-propelled animated feature Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is expected to top the weekend at 4,258 locations.
As per Deadline, Prometheus is expected to reach $55 million by Sunday evening, thus ending a little behind Madagascar 3’s expected $58 million after earning $19.5 million on Friday. For comparison’s sake: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa took in $63.1 million when it opened in Nov. 2009. Back in July 2010, Christopher Nolan’s PG-13-rated sci-fier Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, debuted with $62.8 million after grossing $3 million at midnight screenings.
At no. 3 on Friday was Snow White and the Huntsman with an estimated $8 million. The Rupert Sanders-directed fantasy is expected to gross $26 million over the weekend, down about 52 percent compared to last week. If those estimates are accurate, SWATH’s drop-off rate will be a little steep; even so, $26 million will be enough for the film to reach the $100 million milestone in North America after only 10 days. Besides Stewart, Theron, and Hemsworth, Snow White and the Huntsman features Sam Claflin, Toby Jones, and Bob Hoskins.
Rounding out the top five movies are Will Smith / Tommy Lee Jones / Josh Brolin’s Men in Black III with $4 million on Friday and $14 million for the weekend. The Avengers is next in line with $3.5 million on Friday and $13.5 million by Sunday evening.
Remember, those are early rough estimates. Official studio estimates will be released Saturday morning. Weekend estimates come out Sunday morning. Weekend box office actuals will be available on Monday.
In limited release: Jane Fonda, Robert Pattinson, Chace Crawford
Also opening in limited release this weekend are Bruce Beresford’s Peace, Love & Misunderstanding, with two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda, Chace Crawford, Catherine Keener, and Jeffrey Dean; Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod’s Bel Ami, starring Robert Pattinson, and Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Christina Ricci as the women in his life; and Colin Trevorrow’ time-traveling comedy Safety Not Guaranteed, with Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass.
Madagascar 3 features the voices of Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Chastain, Paz Vega, Chris Miller, Bryan Cranston, Frances McDormand, Martin Short, Tom McGrath, and Andy Richter.
The Avengers cast includes Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hiddleston.
Prometheus vs. Madagascar 3
Although Prometheus seems poised to gross at least $50 million this weekend, whether or not it’ll land the top spot at the domestic box office remains unclear. Its competitor is the animated feature Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, screening at 4,258 locations. (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa took in $63.1 million when it opened in Nov. 2009.) Prometheus will be playing at 3,394 sites.
“Madagascar 3 Box Office: Animals Beat Monsters” notes
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted image: DreamWorks Animation | Paramount Pictures.
*last modified in January 2026.