Kung Fu Panda 4 Maintains Box Office Dominance in Second Weekend
In its second weekend at the North American box office, “Kung Fu Panda 4” continued its reign, earning an impressive $30 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. The Universal and DreamWorks Animation production, featuring the voice talent of Jack Black, has now amassed over $1.9 billion since its inception in 2008, solidifying its status as a beloved franchise.
Despite the arrival of several new releases, including Lionsgate’s “Arthur the King,” Focus Features’ “The American Society of Magical Negroes,” and A24’s “Love Lies Bleeding,” established franchises like “Dune: Part Two” held their ground. “Dune: Part Two” secured a close second place with $29.1 million in its third weekend, demonstrating remarkable resilience with only a 37% decline in earnings from the previous week.
Among the newcomers, “Arthur the King” emerged as the strongest contender, debuting in third place with $7.5 million from 3,003 locations. The film, directed by Simon Cellan Jones and starring Mark Wahlberg, tells the true story of an adventure racer who forms an unlikely bond with a stray dog during a treacherous journey in the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, “Love Lies Bleeding” opened to $2.5 million in 1,362 locations. Written and directed by Rose Glass, the ’80s-set Western thriller stars Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian in a gripping tale of isolation and intrigue.
“The American Society of Magical Negroes,” written and directed by Kobi Libii, debuted with $1.3 million from 1,147 theaters. The satirical film explores the exploits of a clandestine group of Black individuals dedicated to easing the lives of white people, starring Justice Smith and David Alan Grier.
As the box office landscape awaits the upcoming release of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” industry analysts anticipate a surge in activity. “When there’s not a newcomer dominating the marketplace, it makes for a rather slow weekend,” remarked Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “But there’s some great movies on the way,” he added, hinting at the excitement building for the summer movie season.