Weekend box office: "Up" rising

Yikes: $68.2 million in one weekend for Pixar's "Up" -- that's the third highest launch for one of the company's films (behind "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo"). The grosses are slightly qualified by A) rises in ticket prices (if you adjust for inflation, "Up" comes in fifth, with "Toy Story 2" and "Monsters, Inc." ahead of it too) and B) the release of the new film in 1,534 theaters equipped with 3D projection -- which means that 23% of the 6,700-theaters playing "Up" could charge more for admission and ended up taking in 51 percent of the movie's weekend total. That's a solid vote for 3D and for Disney's marketing machine, not for any intrinsic 3D-ness of the film itself.

The other major new release of the weekend was director Sam Raimi's very well reviewed return to horror, "Drag Me To Hell," but since the average multiplex-goer has no idea who Sam Raimi is, the love translated to a solid but not stellar $16.6 million third place opening. If audiences cotton to the director's patented fusion of gore and slapstick, the movie may show some legs.

Second place went to "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," which declined 53 percent from its opening weekend, obviously impacted by "Up." In fourth place was "Terminator Salvation," which dropped a sizable 62 percent, evidence that the latest in the franchise won't play much beyond its fanbase.

Box Office Mojo has more numbers, while Leonard Klady has more analysis.