Toy Story 3 blew away the opposition thanks to a superb $109m estimated launch in the US through Buena Vista that set a new opening record for a Pixar release.

The Incredibles had set the previous best mark on $70.5m however Toy Story 3’s launch proved emphatically that fans old and young remain as fond of the series as they were when it launched in 1995.

This was the eleventh Pixar release in a row to open at number one and only the third animated film to gross more than $100m in its first weekend after Shrek The Third earlier this summer on $121.6m and Shrek 2 in 2004 on $108m.

Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and John Ratzenberger reprise their roles in the ongoing adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their friends.

Screening in 180 domestic IMAX theatres, the film grossed a huge $8.4m. The IMAX release contributed approximately 8% of the overall domestic box office on an estimated 2% of total screens and IMAX theatres posted a per-screen average of approximately $47,000.

Sony’s The Karate Kid – the summer’s first breakout hit – continued to play well in its second weekend and fell to second place on $29m for $106.3m..

Warner Bros’ dark action tale Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin and Megan Fox disappointed in its first weekend, launching in eighth place on $5.1m.Bollywood drama Raavan opened outside the top ten through Reliance Big Pictures on $551,000 from 19 venues.

Next weekend’s wide releases are Fox’s action comedy Knight & Day reunites Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz for the first time since they starred in Vanilla Sky in 2001. Also getting a wide release is Sony’s comedy Grown Ups with Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Kevin James and David Spade.

Estimated Top 10 North America June 18-20 2010

Film (Dist) / Est wkd gross / Est total to date

1 (-) Toy Story 3 (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $109m –

2 (1) The Karate Kid (Sony) SPRI $29m $106.3m

3 (2) The A-Team (Fox) Fox Int’l $13.8m $49.8m

4 (4) Get Him To The Greek (Universal) UPI $6.1m $47.9m

5 (3) Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks Animation-Paramount) PPI $5.5m $222.9m

6 (6) Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Buena Vista) WDSMPI $5.3m $80.5m

7 (5) Killers (Lionsgate) Lionsgate $5.1m $39.4m

8 (-) Jonah Hex (Warner Bros) WBPI $5.085m –

9 (9) Iron Man 2 (Marvel/Paramount) PPI $2.7m $304.8m

10 (7) Marmaduke (Fox) Fox Int’l $2.7m $27.9m

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