Los Angeles The US$21 million plus opening weekend for Walt Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the fourth highest in history for an animated feature in the US.

"Based on its strong opening and some of the best word-of-mouth we have ever experienced, it seems quite clear that The Hunchback of Notre Dame is on track to become one of the summer's most successful and satisfying offerings," Richard Cook, president of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and Marketing told Moving Pictures.

"We are extremely proud of this latest animated effort from our award-winning team of artists and filmmakers and are delighted that audiences of all ages are embracing it in such a big way," Cook said.

Disney/Buena Vista dominate the all-time top 10 animated openings in the US. Still ruling the pride is The Lion King, which opened US$40.9 million in 1994, followed by Pocahontas with US$29.5 million in June 1995, and Toy Story with US$29.1 million in November 1995.

Disney's animated stable has also proved to have strong legs at the box office. After opening with US$19.3 million, Aladdin went on to take US$217 million at the US box office, while The Lion King smashed its way through to a cumulative gross of US$312.8 million. Toy Story is now standing at a cumulative gross of over 189 million.

l Walt Disney Feature Animation also announced plans to make a science-fiction version of Treasure Island, tentatively billed as Treasure Planet. The picture will be handled by the writer-director team of John Musker and Ron Clements who were responsible for the studio's Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, and who are currently working on Hercules.

Christopher Pickard

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