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The Buena Vista/Disney and Pixar computer animated blockbuster has already taken in nearly $123 million and is heading towards $200 million or more in domestic theaters. Monsters, Inc. fell by only about 26 percent in its second weekend, considerably less than the 35 percent drop insiders had expected.

Also helping to drive the weekend was 20th Century Fox's much stronger than anticipated second place opening of Shallow Hal to over $23 million. Based on Hollywood's advance radar screen, insiders were predicting a more shallow launch for Shallow Hal of $14-16 million on the low end and $18-20 million on the high end.

Key films continued to enjoy summer-like ticket sales. The weekend's total of about $121.5 million was up nearly 23 percent from last year's $98.9 million.

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Buena Vista/Disney and Pixar Animation Studios' G rated computer animated feature Monsters, Inc. remained atop the chart, holding extremely well with a very colorful ESTIMATED $46.2 million (-26%) at 3,269 theaters (+32 theaters; $14,124 per theater). Its cume is approximately $122.8 million.

Monsters, Inc. appears to be on the track to gross $200 million or more in domestic theaters. If it falls by about 50 percent next weekend with the arrival of blockbuster competition for the family audience from Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, it will still gross another $20-23 million. It should do another $20 million or so the following weekend over the extended Thanksgiving holiday period, which is typically the year's biggest family moviegoing weekend. That would put Monsters, Inc. somewhere in the $165-170 million range coming out of Thanksgiving and with the rest of the holiday season still ahead of it.

Monsters, Inc.'s average per theater was the highest for any film playing in wide or limited release this weekend. The film cracked $100 million on Saturday, its ninth day in release, making it the fastest animated film ever to join Hollywood's $100 Million Club.

Directed by Pete Docter, it was co-directed by Lee Unkrich and David Silverman and written by Andrew Stanton and Daniel Gerson.

"You know, comedy is king and this form of animation has just won the hearts of everybody," Buena Vista Distribution president Chuck Viane said Sunday morning. "We've played to 20 million people in the last nine or 10 days. I've got to think that the word of mouth is so good. I know the exits are (great), but when you see it take over like this--I mean, a $46 million weekend! Who'd have thunk it?"

Late last week Hollywood insiders were speculating that Monsters, Inc. would drop by about 35 percent and gross around $40 million in its second weekend. "At 35 percent, we would have been extremely happy," Viane noted. "Most monster openings like this usually are in the 40 percents and 50 percents (in terms of second weekend drops) and it's so nice to see the movie stay there."