Kung Fu Panda 4 and Dune: Part Two
continue to perform well at the box office, with both movies reaching
significant milestones this past weekend.
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| 'Kung Fu Panda 4' DREAMWORKS ANIMATION |
Kung Fu Panda 4, featuring the voice of Jack Black, surpassed Dune 2 in its second weekend, earning an estimated $30 million from 4,067 theaters. The film has now crossed the $100 million mark in domestic earnings, totaling $107.7 million after ten days. It also grossed $39.6 million internationally, bringing its global total to $176.4 million. The movie experienced a 48% decline in domestic earnings, which is considered respectable.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune 2, in its third weekend, is also performing strongly. This Legendary-Warner Bros. film has become the first release of 2024 to surpass $200 million in domestic earnings, with an estimated $29.1 million from 3,847 cinemas. Its total North American earnings now stand at $205.3 million.
Internationally, the sequel,
starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, earned an additional $51.2 million this
weekend from 73 markets, bringing its foreign total to an impressive $289.4
million and its global earnings to $494.7 million. It has already surpassed the
$433 million grossed by the first Dune, released in 2021 during the pandemic,
and is expected to exceed $600 million globally.
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| Arthur the King CARLOS RODRIGUEZ/LIONSGATE |
Upcoming releases will provide
stiff competition for both films, including Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
on March 22 and Warners/Legendary’s Godxilla x Kong: The New Empire on March
29.
This weekend also saw the release of the feel-good canine adventure drama Arthur the King, starring an ensemble cast led by Mark Wahlberg. Distributed by Lionsgate and eOne, the film opened slightly below expectations, earning an estimated $7.5 million from 3,003 cinemas. Although tracking had suggested a range of $8 million to $10 million, the film's A CinemaScore from audiences is expected to result in a longer run at the box office.
The cast also includes Simu Liu,
Juliet Rylance, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ali Suliman, Paul Guilfoyle, and real-life
adventure racer and TV host Bear Grylls, playing himself. The story follows a
professional adventure racer (Wahlberg) who develops a strong bond with a dog
named Arthur after embarking on a 435-mile journey over 10 days with his team.
Lionsgate secured the fourth
position on the chart with Blumhouse’s supernatural horror film Imaginary,
which earned an estimated $5.6 million from 3,118 cinemas in its second
weekend, bringing its total to $18.1 million.
In fifth place was Angel Studios’ faith-themed Cabrini, which experienced a steep 61% decline in its second weekend. The biographical drama about an 18th-century Catholic missionary earned an estimated $2.8 million from 2,850 theaters, bringing its domestic total to $12 million. Angel Studios is also known for Monteverde’s 2023 surprise blockbuster and cultural sensation Sound of Freedom.
Focus Features’ The American
Society of Magical Negroes, another new wide release, fared even worse, landing
at No. 9 with an estimated $1.25 million from 1,143 theaters. The satirical
comedy follows a young man recruited into a secret society of magical Black
individuals dedicated to making white people's lives easier. The film will be
available relatively quickly on premium VOD for $19.99 after its nationwide
expansion.
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| Justice Smith and David Alan Grier appear in The American Society of Magical Negroes TOBIN YELLAND/FOCUS FEATURES/COURTESY OF SUNDANCE INSTITUTE |
Directed by Kobi Libii, The American Society of Magical Negroes features a cast including Justice Smith, David Alan Grier, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver, Michaela Watkins, Rupert Friend, and Nicole Byer. Focus can find some comfort in last weekend's Oscars recognition for The Holdovers. The film, directed by Alexander Payne, received multiple nominations, including Best Picture, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph won Best Supporting Actress.
A24's Love Lies Bleeding, a crime
thriller starring Kirsten Stewart, also expanded its release to 1,362 theaters,
earning $2.5 million and securing the sixth spot on the chart. Its early
domestic total now stands at $2.7 million.
Bleecker Street, an indie
distributor, debuted the Anthony Hopkins-led film One Life in select domestic
cinemas. The movie took the eighth spot with $1.7 million from 983 locations.
This holocaust-related drama, a collaboration between Britain and the U.S., has
already earned over $25 million overseas since its release in December 2023.
Following Oppenheimer's sweeping
success at the Oscars last week, Warner Bros. re-released Christopher Nolan's
film in over 1,300 theaters domestically. While re-releases typically don't
generate large earnings, with exceptions like Avatar, Oppenheimer is expected
to earn around $300,000 for the weekend. The film, available for streaming on
Peacock and HBO Max, is the highest-grossing Best Picture Oscar winner in 20
years, with nearly $959 million earned at the global box office. However, it's
unlikely to surpass $1 billion even with this re-release.
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