Madagascar 3 Beats Prometheus at the Box Office

Ridley Scott’s “Aliens” sort-of-prequel Prometheus did very well at the box office, with one of the strongest openings of the year, $50 million in the US and $85 million world-wide.  But the R-rated space saga could not match another series entry, the family-friendly animated animal story Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, which out-performed “Prometheus” with more than $60 million. I’m delighted that both films did well but I am even more delighted at yet another reminder to the executives in Hollywood that there is an audience for family films that matches or exceeds the biggest special effects block-busters directed at teenagers and 20-somethings.