A vibrant movie from the makers of “Ice Age” about overcoming your fears and making friends, “Rio” soared to the number one spot at the box office bringing in about $40 million in its debut weekend.
Though it was estimated that the movie, starring the flightless bird Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), would bring in closer to $48 million, it was by no means a box office failure. With 58 percent of its business coming from 3-D screenings, “Rio” became the biggest debut of 2011 thus far.
“Rio” is the story of Blu, a nearly extinct type of macaw, who is taken to Rio de Janeiro to mate with another blue macaw. The two birds are then stolen by a bird smuggler and his cockatoo. A they go on an adventure to get home, they experience Rio’s rich culture, make friends like Rafael – voiced by George Lopez, and learn that it is possible to overcome your fears.
