LOS ANGELES, May 27 (UPI) -- U.S. movie studio DreamWorks Animation SKG, stung by complaints over a surprising profit shortfall, has lots riding on its new "Madagascar" film.
Just seven months after DreamWorks went public, investors have pounded the stock over an unpredicted earnings shortfall, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
The newspaper said studio executives hope its computer-generated film "Madagascar," which opened Friday in more than 3,700 U.S. theaters, could revive the company's financial fortunes.
With voices supplied by popular actors Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ben Stiller and David Schwimmer, "Madagascar" follows four animals that escape from New York's Central Park Zoo and make it to the African island.
The film may benefit from being the only family film out for Memorial Day, the biggest movie weekend in two of the last three years, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
He predicts "Madagascar" should gross well above the $47 million "Shark Tale" reaped in its October debut.
