Hop got a 24% rating on rotten tomatoes! I guess kids dragged their parents to see this.

PR and marketing has been huge on this [in UK anyway]. I think that's what it comes down to with these 'big' movies. Can't see it's going to be much better or worse than it's rivals. It's just the 'machine' worked better for this one.

And another thing...
Timing ofcourse is everything.
we're used to 'seasonal' releases for Xmas and Summer - but Easter's quite a hard one to tie into.
When was the last Easter themed movie?

Bunnies! Much better than tsunamis and budget woes. Good timing, and happy subject, why I think a 24% rated movie did well.

Success of talking animal movies can't be fully discussed without attention to the cgi. And egads the cgi. 'Nuff said.

Wall-E was wonderful, touched everyone I knew, kids, adults, family from across the world. That's example of good cgi.

Talking animals as subject, not exhausted, doing it well, with modern tools, has barely begun.

Re talking animal story in comic book land, Duncan the Wonderdog. Serious, wondrous, entirely for adults. Some other comic books lines too, use talking animals (and are also not for kids). http://www.adhousebooks.com/books/duncan.html

Last Easter themed move...

Passion of the Christ

Also a huge hit.

Lesson: Write your Easter movie if you want a meal ticket