Monsters University, the prequel to Monsters Inc., has done extremely well during its first weekend of release. The Disney Pixar animation has made $82.4 million, placing it ahead of World War Z and Superman: Man of Steel in the box office charts. 

The animation has outdone its predecessor, Monsters Inc. which, released in 2001, made $65.5 million during its opening weekend. In Monsters Inc. we saw the monster's world powered by the terror of children scared by Mike and Sulley during their night-time adventures into the human world. The two best friends overcome adversity to ensure a predictable happy ending in true Disney style. 

Monsters University follows the relationship between Mike (the green Cyclops) and Sulley (the fluffy blue one) as they attend university. As it turns out the pair were not always as close as they were in Monsters Inc. 

Monsters University features the voices of Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally) and John Goodman (Argo) as Mike and Sulley. Whilst other monsters are voiced by the likes of Helen Mirren (The Queen), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) and Pixar veteran Peter Sohn (Ratatouille).  

Monsters University has been criticised for its lack of originality in merely expanding (in a similar fashion to Toy Story) the Monsters franchise. However, most reviewers have praised the film highly as being 'a charming addition to the Monsters canon' and 'fast, funny and likeable'.  

Renowned for making touching and visually appealing animations, Disney Pixar has created a film which is liable to become a respectable family film for the summer, despite not being Pixar's most unique vision.

Watch Monsters University Trailer:

Monsters University is due out in the UK on 12th July 2013. 

John Goodman
John Goodman who voices Sulley in Monsters Inc. and Monsters University

Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren whose voice will feature in Monsters University