Well, well, well folks, it looks like the underrated Shrek 4 is now currently beating its critics and is doing fine in its first weekend with $71.3 million in North American theaters, being the widest release for animated film playing in 4,359 theaters on May 21, 2010.

Though the gross is far less successful than the opening days of two of the three preceding Shrek films and gave DreamWorks Animation a small disappointment, where the Shrek 2 opened with $108 million in 2004, and Shrek 3 opened with $121 million in 2007. It has beaten the first Shrek far bigger that has opened with $42 million in 2001. That sounds fine for Shrek 4 which is also beating opening weekends for recent DreamWorks Animation blockbuster hits like the Kung Fu Panda with an opening of $60.2 million, Madagascar 2 with $63.1 million and Monster vs. Aliens with $59.3 million. Bravo for Shrek for much better gross and for beating every doubt that Green Ogre is waning its magic.

Anne Globe, head of worldwide marketing for DreamWorks Animation, is hinting a small celebration, saying that they are happy for Shrek Forever After opening that debuted at No. 1 and being the fourth best opening for an animated movie behind the second and third Shrek film and The Simpsons Movie where it has taken the crown from the then first placer Iron Man 2.

So Folks, don’t think about counting out the Green Team, it is indeed the cornerstone of DreamWorks Animation that exalted the company into the heaven of success. Watch Shrek Forever After online here.

Here are the estimates of the weekend’s top-grossing films in North American theaters:

1. Shrek Forever After, $71.25 million, first weekend
2. Iron Man 2, $26.6 million; $251.2 million, third week
3. Robin Hood, $18.7 million; $66.1 million, second week
4. Letters to Juliet, $9.1 million; $27.4 million, second week
5. Just Wright, $4.2 million; $14.6 million, second week
6. MacGruber, $4.1 million, first weekend
7. Date Night, $2.8 million; $90.7 million, seventh week
8. A Nightmare on Elm Street, $2.3 million; $59.9 million, fourth week
9. How to Train Your Dragon, $1.85 million; $201.9 million, ninth week
10. Kites, $1 million, first weekend

Related posts:

1. Shrek Forever After: It’s Not Easy Being Green
2. Shrek Forever After Main Villain Introduced
3. Shrek 4: Can it be Saved by Fans’ Word of Mouth?
4. Iron Man 2 Opens Big-Time at International Box Office
5. Watch Shrek: The Final Chapter in 3D Online