'Shrek the Third' has opened in the US with an Ogre size effort, bringing in US$122 million (A$148 million) at the box office over the weekend.

This was 13% bigger than the opening of 'Shrek 2' and represents the biggest ever US opening weekend of an animated film, and the third biggest opening weekend of all time.

The film also opened in Russia and grossed US$11.1 million in its opening weekend. This is the biggest opening ever for a foreign film in that market and is more then the lifetime box office of any other DreamWorks title in the territory. Openings in Romania, Philippines and the Ukraine were also at the same record-breaking levels.

'Shrek the Third' opens in Australian cinemas June 7. Cameron Diaz, who voices the character Fiona in the film, was in town for the Australian premiere on Tuesday May 22 at the State Theatre, Sydney.

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