Despicable Me Takes in $60M

Universal Pictures took a cue from Pixar and other animated-movie makers and—surprise, surprise—found huge success this weekend. Despicable Me, the movie studio’s first animated film, topped the box office with an estimated $60.1 million. The film stars Steve Carell as an overgrown bumbler who plans to steal the moon but has a change of heart when three orphaned girls enter his life. Jason Segel, Russell Brand, and Julie Andrews are among the other stars to provide voices for the 3-D characters. This week’s other big release, Predators, opened third with $25.3 million. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse came in second, with another $33 million for its total $237 million 12-day haul.