There were no blockbusters on this September frame but, after last weekend’s dismal returns, it’s hard to feel disappointed. Aided by 3D technology, Resident Evil: Retribution reigned with $21.1 million – more than twice what The Possession earned in first place last weekend. Finding Nemo 3D also had a ticket-price advantage although, in this case, the 2003 Pixar classic could not match the gross of last year’s 3D The Lion King re-release.

Even with Saturday’s family trade and higher ticket prices, Disney’s 3D re-issue of Beauty and the Beast could not catch Contraband this weekend. From its 2,863 locations Universal’s R-rated drama took in an estimated $24.1 million – a figure well above early expectations for the Mark Wahlberg vehicle.  The other BIG news is the changing fortunes of last weekend’s number one film, The Devil Inside.  Estimates have taken the film from number six – down to number eleven – and back up to number seven all within an hour.  We’re hoping to get it right this with this one but, keep in mind, it’s all estimates until Monday morning…

If 2011 closed as a bit of a downer, 2012 continues to surprise with its robust (early) box office performances.  Last week Paramount’s The Devil Inside caught most of us off-guard with its big number one finish; this weekend it was Universal’s turn with Contraband.  The R-rated thriller earned an estimated $8.7 million from 2,863 locations on Friday – a first place debut that puts it on track for a weekend 25% higher than expected.  In second place, Disney’s 3D reissue of Beauty and the Beast took in $5.6 million from 2,625 venues and should reach $23 million by the end of the four-day MLK Holiday weekend.  Warner Brothers’ Joyful Noise was the final new title of the weekend, not counting TWC’s The Iron Lady which expanded into 802 theatres and finished Friday in eighth-place.  Noise earned $3.3 million from its 2,863 locations for a third-place tie with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.  Rounding out the top five, The Devil Inside was down a giant 87% from its debut.  With the film’s awful reviews, expect it to relinquish its current slot to Sherlock Holmes 2 by Sunday. Details and analysis tomorrow.

I’ve loved Beauty and the Beast for twenty years.  My grandmother bought me the VHS when I was a kid, I went to see the IMAX re-release as a teenager, I bought the special edition DVD later that year, then I bought the special edition Blu-ray back in 2010, and have been expecting the 3D version ever since I saw the opening number at Comic-Con back in 2008.  I’m not 3D’s champion and Beauty and the Beast doesn’t need a 3D post-conversion.  It’s perfect the way it is, but I’m willing to put on a pair of 3D glasses if it means I get to see it on the big screen again.  But is it possible to improve upon perfection and if not, does that lower the quality?

Disney has released a new trailer for Beauty and the Beast 3D.  I don’t really care that the movie is in 3D, although judging by The Lion King, the technology will be used unobtrusively and as a way to provide a little depth to the visuals (although I’ll admit the musical number “Gaston” should be a lot of fun in 3D).  I’m just excited that the movie is returning to theaters, and we’ll be seeing it in an hi-def version.  Owners of the Blu-ray know how amazing the movie looks and I can’t wait to see the polished visuals on the big screen, especially since I haven’t seen the movie in theaters since Disney released an IMAX version back in 2002.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Beauty and the Beast 3D opens on January 13, 2012.  Disney has also attached the new short film, Tangled Ever After.

Tangled directors Byron Howard and Nathan Greno will continue the story of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), and Maximus, The World’s Most Awesome Horse in the new short film Tangled Ever After.  Disney has sent out a press release announcing that the short film will play in front of Beauty and the Beast 3D.  In Tangled Ever After, Maximus and Pascal the Chameleon lose the wedding rings for Rapunzel and Flynn’s wedding and have to go on a frantic hunt to find the gold bands.  I’m sure it will be comical and cute like the movie, but I think it will be interesting to see how a modern Disney princess movie directly compares to a classic like Beauty and the Beast.

Hit the jump for the press release as well as the poster for Tangled Ever After.    The film Beauty and the Beast 3D opens January 13, 2012.

We’ve got a few new posters to share with you today. First up is a truly terrible one sheet for Roman Polanski’s comedy Carnage. The film itself doesn’t look bad at all—with a stellar cast made up of Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, and John C. Reilly—but this poster makes the film look like Hallmark’s Movie of the Week. We’ve also got a warm and fuzzy holiday-themed poster for the alien invasion pic The Darkest Hour. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Mighella, and Joel Kinnaman, and features aliens that are “creatures of electricity and electromagnetism” rather than scaly, insect-looking things like every other sci-fi movie these days.

Last but not least is a nostalgia-inducing poster for the 3D re-release of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. As we previously reported, Disney is re-releasing a number of animated films theatrically in 3D after the smashing success of The Lion King. Carnage opens December 16th, The Darkest Hour arrives December 25th, and Beauty and the Beast 3D returns January 13th. Hit the jump for the posters.

While the 3D format continues its move towards home entertainment with more and more titles being released on 3D Blu-ray every month, it looks like Disney is getting in on the action as well. The Walt Disney Company announced today that it plans to release at least fifteen films on 3D Blu-ray throughout 2011. Titles set to hit 3D home video include The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Nightmare Before Christmas, TRON: Legacy, and Tangled. Not only will the films be presented in 3D, but the special 3D Blu-ray release will come complete with 3D menus, 3D trailers, and an introduction to the world of Disney 3D from The Lion King characters Timon and Pumba. Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Lori MacPherson had this to say:

As our contemporary library of 3D content continues to grow, and the original artists and filmmakers meticulously ‘dimensionalize’ their work for release on the Blu-ray 3D format, we will be offering movie-lovers the most incredible in-home entertainment experience they will ever have

Hit the jump for more, including the other Disney titles planned for a 3D Blu-ray release. [We've updated this story with the official press release]

When we last reported on Pixar’s Newt, it was the sad news that the project had been canceled.  Now it looks like the project has officially shed the mortal coil as Box Office Mojo reports that Disney has dropped it from the calendar entirely.  Other release date changes include Monsters, Inc. 2 moving from November 16, 2012 to November 2, 2012; the teen comedy Prom is now set for April 29, 2011; and DreamWorks’ The Guardians (tentative title) is moving from November 21, 2012 to November 2, 2012.

The most frustrating change is Beauty and the Beast 3D being pushed from 2011 to completely off the schedule.  The film was originally set to come out this past Valentine’s Day.  Heat Vision reports that the release has been moved to 2012 (or later) so that there will be more 3D TVs in homes when the movie finally hits theaters.  That way, when people see how (presumably) amazing the movie looks in 3D, they’ll buy the 3D Blu-ray when it’s released.  Thankfully, fans will get to see a (presumably) gorgeous HD transfer of the movie when the film hits Blu-ray this October.

Disney will follow up Beauty and the Beast 3D with The Lion King 3D.  Speaking with producer Don Hahn in London, Empire got some quick info about upcoming Disney projects.  While there’s still no release date for the 3D version of 1991′s Beauty and the Beast (it was originally slated to open in February before it was pulled from the schedule; it’s now projected to open sometime in 2011), the studio is already working on giving the 3D treatment to The Lion King.  Said Hahn, “I’m actually trying to work out a 3D conversion of The Lion King. I’ll be doing that when I go back to the States in a couple of weeks.”  However, he added that we shouldn’t expect to see the final product any time soon.

He also provided a brief update on Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2—which hired the original writers to pen a script back in November—saying that while there hasn’t been much news on the project, it’s still moving forward.  “If you’re a fan, pretty soon you’re going to be very, very, very happy.”  Roger Rabbit 2 will be, unsurprisingly, in 3D.  Hahn also provided an update on the adaptation of a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Snow Queen.  Hit the jump for what he had to say on that project.

I love Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and while I was wary about a 3D update, what they showed at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con put it on my must-see movies list of 2010.  Except now it looks like it will have to move to my list for 2011, because StitchKingdom.com [via /Film] is reporting that the film has been kicked from its Valentine’s Day release and probably won’t land a new release date for sometime later this year.

That’s a real shame because the opening number from Beauty and the Beast, “Belle”, looked incredible.  It wasn’t eye-popping 3D, but that nice, high-resolution transfer that provides fantastic detail to the image.  I remember seeing the movie in IMAX and while it was impressive, it was odd to see crowd shots as just little circles on tops of ovals to represent people.  They’ve upgraded the animation to suit the 3D and the film looks better than it ever has.  I also wanted the film to come out this year because if it was successful, then Disney would have incentive to move forward on other 3D upgrades for films like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King.

Obviously, as soon as we find out the new release date, we’ll let you know what it is.

Disney has now announced what we will be seeing at the D23 expo this year. The event will take place from September 10-13 in Anaheim, California and it has a pretty fun and exciting line up. Over the 4 days Disney will be showing exclusive sneak peeks of “A Christmas Carol”, Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland”, “Prince of Persia”, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, “Tron: Legacy”, and “Toy Story 3″. Selected scenes from “Beauty and the Beast” in 3D and the 3D double feature of “Toy Story 1 & 2″ will be shown along with some newly restored prints of classic Disney films such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Sleeping Beauty”. To find out what else will take place at D23 and how you can attend. check out the full press release after the jump.

A few minutes ago I posted part one of my Disney/Pixar Comic-Con animation panel report which featured my thoughts on “Toy Story 3D”, “Toy Story 2 3D” and “Toy Story 3″. Now it’s time for part two which features “Beauty and the Beast 3D”, “The Princess and the Frog”, “Ponyo” and “Prep & Landing”. If you’re a fan of Disney animation you’ll want to read this. Take a look after the jump:

Walt Disney Studios has just announced their 2009 Comic-Con plans and it’s filled with “firsts”. That’s because Hayao Miyazaki, John Lasseter, Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton will take part in their first ever Comic-Con. If you’re a fan of any of these guys, it should be a hell of a presentation.

Also, with the abundance of great projects at Disney right now, their footage is going to be some of the highlights of the convention. According to the press release, they’re showing footage from “Ponyo”, all the “Toy Story” movies, “A Christmas Carol”, “The Princess and the Frog”, “Beauty and the Beast in 3D”, “Alice in Wonderland”, and “TRON”! If you thought last year’s “Tron” footage was cool, I promise you this year is going to blow you away.

For more details on what Disney is planning on doing, the full press release is after the jump: