Can Plucky 'Brave' Hold Onto The Box Office No.1?

'Brave's' success at the box-office last weekend was the third time this year that a movie with a tough female protagonist had taken the top spot. It began with Katniss Everdeen of 'The Hunger Games' and continued with Kristen Stewart's 'Snow White' in 'Snow White and the Huntsman'.

Last week, it was the turn of the 'Brave' Princess Merida, who relies on her archery skills to undo a beastly Scottish curse. The movie was a hit with audiences, and took $66.7 million during its opening weekend - the fifth best debut ever for a Pixar film, and a much faster start than last year's Cars 2. Dave Hollis, Disney executive vice president of distribution, said, "Girls kick butt. There's a universal love of this brand [Disney Pixar]". The movie cost around $185 million to make, though should make that back in no-time, meaning another success for the all-conquering Disney Pixar studio. Elsewhere at the box-office, 'Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted' dropped 41 per cent to $20.2 million (2nd), while the Tim Burton produced 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' took $16.5 million to take third place, reports CNN. 'Prometheus' continued its solid run at the box-office, taking its total to $108.6 million domestically and securing fourth place.

'Brave' faces stiff competition to hold onto the top spot this weekend, with the release of two movies likely to pull in the crowds. Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis star in Seth Macfarlane's comedy 'Ted', while Hollywood heartthrob Channing Tatum plays a stripper in Steven Soderbergh's 'Magic Mike'.