FINDING DORY Breaks Record for Highest-Grossing Animated Film Debut

ET reports that FINDING DORY took in $136.2 million for its opening weekend, setting a new record for the highest-grossing animated film debut in history. The previous record was held by "Shrek the Third" ($121.6 million).

The Disney/Pixar film previously set a new Thursday previews record for an animated film, opening with a massive $9.2 million for Thursday night, ahead of the previous biggest animated starts from Minions ($6.2 million), Despicable Me 2 ($4.7 million), Toy Story 3 ($4.0 million) and Inside Out ($3.7 million), and Disney's The Jungle Book ($4.2 million).

Directed by Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo," "WALL•E"), co-directed by Angus MacLane ("Toy Story OF TERROR!"), and produced by Lindsey Collins (co-producer "WALL•E"), Disney•Pixar's FINDING DORY swims into theaters June 17, 2016.

The animated film welcomes back to the big screen everyone's favorite forgetful blue tang Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), who's living happily in the reef with Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) and Nemo (voice of Hayden Rolence). When Dory suddenly remembers that she has a family out there who may be looking for her, the trio takes off on a life-changing adventure across the ocean to California's prestigious Marine Life Institute, a rehabilitation center and aquarium. In an effort to find her mom (voice of Diane Keaton) and dad (voice of Eugene Levy), Dory enlists the help of three of the MLI's most intriguing residents: Hank (voice of Ed O'Neill), a cantankerous octopus who frequently gives employees the slip; Bailey (voice of Ty Burrell), a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; and Destiny (voice of Kaitlin Olson), a nearsighted whale shark. Deftly navigating the complex inner workings of the MLI, Dory and her friends discover the magic within their flaws, friendships and family.

Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar