'Toy Story 3' is top-grossing animated film ever

Woody and his pals have just elbowed aside the green ogre as Disney/Pixar's "Toy Story 3" climbed above Paramount/DreamWorks' "Shrek 2" to become the top-grossing animated film worldwide.

Related Topics

•Asia Movies, Entertainmen...

Disney announced Friday that "Toy" has taken in $920 million at the global boxoffice, topping "Shrek's" $919.8 million. Globally, it's Disney's fourth highest grossing film, trailing only two of the installments in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland."

Actually, Disney may be jumping the gun by a day or two, since its announcement said the 3D toon "is expected" this weekend to cross the $400 million mark domestically, the second Disney film to hit that level, following 2006's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," which took in $423 million domestically. And some sources put "Shrek's" worldwide gross at slightly more than $920 million. But either way, by the end of the weekend, "Toy" can safely lay claim to the accolade.

"In 1995, the talented team at Pixar introduced a cowboy, a space ranger and their friends who have gone on to become some of the most beloved characters in the world. The success of 'Toy Story' is due to the tremendously creative and innovative team at Pixar, led by John Lasseter and Ed Catmull, and our incredible marketing and distribution teams around the world," Rich Ross, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios said. "In 'Toy Story 3,' director Lee Unkrich, producer Darla Anderson and the incredible team at Pixar have given audiences a film that continued the rich storytelling and character building that have become synonymous with every Pixar release."

Released June 18, "Toy" recorded Pixar's highest-grossing opening weekend, taking in $109 million in North America, and was the 11th Disney/Pixar title to debut in the No. 1 position on its opening weekend of wide release.

The movie will be released on Blu-ray and DVD Nov. 2.