“Big Hero 6” opens at No.1, grosses P70-M in 4 days

MANILA, Philippines – A child prodigy and his lovable robot charmed their way into the hearts of families, fanboys and girls, enabling Disney’s “Big Hero 6” to gross a stunning P69.99-million nationwide in just four days (Nov. 6 to 9) and open at No.1.

Arriving with some of the year’s best reviews, “Big Hero 6” benefited from strong exit recommendations and the characters’ wide appeal to overlapping audiences.

The animated adventure broke several records on its debut weekend run, the highlights of which are: the Biggest All-Time Non-Franchise Animated Film Opening Weekend (surpassing the P45.9-M of “Up”); Biggest All-Time Disney Animation Studios’ Opening Weekend (beating the P58.2-M of “Monsters University”); and Biggest 2014 4-Day Opening Weekend for Animation (ahead of “The Lego Movie’s” P23.8-M).

“Big Hero 6’s” opening weekend numbers are also 63 percent higher than its box-office competitor, “Interstellar” which bowed at P26.23-M for second place.

In the U.S., “Big Hero 6″ topped the charts with $56.2 million from 3,761 locations, continuing Walt Disney Animation Studios’ recent hot streak with past blockbusters “Frozen” and “Wreck-It Ralph.”

Back in the Philippines, the Marvel Comics-based adventure rolled-out in 167 screens. SM North EDSA nabbed the biggest portion of the box-office pie with P3.47-M in 4 days, followed by SM Megamall with P3.10-M and SM Mall of Asia’s P2.81-M.

The fourth to tenth places belonged to Trinoma (P1.87-M), Glorietta 4 (P1.68-M), Eastwood (P1.65-M), SM Cebu (P1.62-M), Ayala Cebu (P1.51-M), Power Plant (P1.39-M) and Greenbelt 3 (P1.30-M).

Rounding out the top 20 cinemas are Shang Cineplex (P1.27-M), Greenhills (P1.23-M), SM Southmall (P1.21-M), Newport (P1.12-M), Gateway (P1.06-M), SM Fairview (P1.01-M), Fisher Mall (P1.00-M), Festival Mall (P 988,438), Robinsons Magnolia (P 987,597) and Market! Market! (P 979,292).

With all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Big Hero 6” is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.

Directed by Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”), and produced by Roy Conli (“Tangled”), “Big Hero 6” features the voices of an extraordinary ensemble cast, including Maya Rudolph as Aunt Cass, James Cromwell as Professor Robert Callaghan, Damon Wayans Jr. as Wasabi, T.J. Miller as Fred, Alan Tudyk as Alistair Krei, Jamie Chung as Go Go Tomago, Genesis Rodriguez as Honey Lemon and Daniel Henney as Tadashi, with Ryan Potter as Hiro Hamada and Scott Adsit as Baymax.

Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring adrenaline-pumping action, heartfelt emotion and plenty of humor, “Big Hero 6” is now playing in Philippine theaters in 3D.