NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) – Abominable, an animated movie about a girl who befriends a yeti, got a warm welcome at the box office over the weekend.

The film from Universal Pictures generated US$20.9 million (S$28.9 million) in North American theatres, researcher Comscore estimated.

Abominable, a co-production with a Chinese studio and featuring the voice of Chloe Bennet as a teenage girl named Yi, is the first animated picture of the fall season.

Yi finds a yeti on the roof of her home in Shanghai, names him "Everest" and sets off to help him get home to his family.

The movie furthers inroads for Asian characters in big-studio movies, following on the success of Crazy Rich Asians last year.

A live-action remake of Mulan is due next year.

Abominable was written and directed by Jill Culton, the first woman to be the sole writer/director for a major animated release.

It is a co-production between Universal's DreamWorks and Shanghai-based Pearl Studios.

Downton Abbey took second spot with US$14.5 million while Hustlers came in third with US$11.5 million.

This year remains a sluggish one for the box office, cRead More – Source