Finding the Best Time to Find Dory (Assignment date: 6-13-16)

          In a lighter article in the Times found in the recent archives pertaining to the success of Disney Pixar's latest movie "Finding Dory," author Brook Barnes duly noted that the movie was a monumental success with an estimated $136.2 million in opening weekend sales. This large opening sales amount is second only to the opening weekend sales of "Shrek the Third," the Pixar movie that clocked in with a total of $140.9 million in opening weekend sales. As one of Disney's most renowned characters, the movie was a much awaited sequel to the classic "Finding Nemo" in which Dory actually took part in a journey to find his friend Nemo, the protagonist of the first movie. The massive return on "Finding Dory" is most definitely partly due to the success of its predecessor and the anticipation of the Nemo fan base on the sequel. However, the secret to this triumph truly lies in the timing of the movie's release.

          When "Finding Nemo" was first released to theaters in 2003, it was a landmark movie that secured its place among Pixar's timeless movies. Fans cried for a sequel, and over 10 years later, they finally got it. By the time this sequel was released however, all of the young children that originally watched "Finding Nemo" and wanted to see its successor were in their teens, twenties, and possibly even their thirties. This meant that not only did all these original fans want to see the movie, but there was also a whole new generation of children that were alive and breathing that were available to be pulled in by Dory's undeniable charms. By precisely timing the release of Nemo's successor, Disney could have potentially doubled the amount of people that went to theaters on opening weekend, therefore causing their revenue stream to increase proportionally. While the article does not delve into any real analysis about why "Finding Dory" did so well, timing is doubtlessly a possibility, even without the help of a professional analyst.

Article Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/20/movies/finding-dory-swims-to-top-of-box-office.html