Disney’s new animated movie, ‘Brave’, about a rebellious, red-headed princess battled to the top of movie box office charts over the weekend, scoring $80 million in ticket sales around the world. The fairy tale from Disney’s Pixar studio pulled in $66.7 million at domestic theatres, plus $13.5 million from international markets. ‘Brave’ easily topped new historical/horror mashup ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’, which finished the weekend in third place. The 3D ‘Brave’ is set in the ancient Scottish highlands and centres around horseback-riding teen princess Merida, who defies her mother and her kingdom’s traditions. Merida, voiced by Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald, must then use her courage and archery skills to undo a curse. The movie brings the 13th consecutive No. 1 opening to Pixar, which has become Hollywood’s most reliable studio during its 17-year history of making films. ‘Brave’ is a departure for Pixar, and is its first film to feature a strong female as the lead character, following a long Disney tradition with female heroines that in recent years have included ‘Mulan’ and ‘Pocahontas’. ‘Brave’ knocked another animated family film, ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’, to No 2 after its two weeks in the top spot. Another new release, ‘Seeking a Friend for the End of the World’ pulled in $3.8 million, for a disappointing 10th place. The dark comedy starring Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley tells the story of a man who goes on a road trip as an asteroid speeds toward Earth.
