Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast” has already set a new record as Fandango’s #1 family pre-seller of all time. “Beauty” pre-sales (through Monday night) are already eclipsing total pre-sales for any other family film in Fandango’s 17-year history, the company announced Tuesday.
Bill Condon’s film is also scoring a rare 99 out of 100 points on Fandango’s movie buzz indicator, Fanticipation. It’s currently beating box office champs “Logan” and “Kong: Skull Island” in weekend sales. Early tracking estimates has the film aimed at a $120-million opening weekend.
“Beauty” is outpacing the previous family pre-seller champ, “Finding Dory,” and superhero movies like “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Batman v Superman” at the same point in the Fandango sales cycle.
“The pent-up anticipation to see Emma Watson as ‘Beauty’ is sky high,” said Fandango Managing Editor Erik Davis in a statement. “This weekend will see a perfect storm of family audiences, date night audiences and old and new friends gathering en masse at the multiplex to see one of the year’s most anticipated movies.”
According to a Fandango survey of more than 1,000 “Beauty and the Beast” moviegoers:
· 95% have seen the original animated classic; 68% own it at home.
· 84% have been Emma Watson fans since her “Harry Potter” days.
· 52% say the new songs by Alan Menken & Tim Rice increased their interest in the movie.
· 44% will see the movie with their families; 43% will see the film with a date, significant other or friend.
“Beauty and the Beast” opens this Friday.