This weekend, the North American box office tallied US$89 million, with Kung Fu Panda 4 continuing to dominate, securing the top spot for the second consecutive week with US$30 million. Close behind was Dune: Part Two with US$29.1 million, only a 37% revenue drop, pushing its cumulative earnings to US$205.3 million.
Despite a nearly 50% drop from its opening weekend, the fourth instalment of the Kung Fu Panda franchise narrowly edged out Dune: Part Two for the top spot. The latest instalment of the franchise, starring Jack Black, Awkwafina, and Viola Davis, has already surpassed US$107.7 million domestically.
This iteration adds to the franchise’s legacy, which has grossed over US$1.9 billion worldwide since its inception in 2008. Despite competition from several new releases, including Mark Wahlberg’s Arthur The King and A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Dune: Part Two remained the audience’s favourites.
Arthur The King fared the best among the newcomers, taking the third spot with US$7.5 million from 3,003 locations. This weekend saw the debut of A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, a Western thriller set in the ’80s, grossing US$2.5 million across 1,362 locations, while The American Society of Magical Negroes, a satire by Kobi Libii exploring a secret society aiding white lives, opened to US$1.3 million in 1,147 theatres with a notably diverse audience.
Meanwhile, following the Oscars, Poor Things enjoyed a global boost of US$2.3 million, raising its total earnings to US$112.6 million. The weekend’s box office demonstrates the enduring appeal of established franchises amidst a plethora of new releases.
As the year progresses, it will be interesting to see how new releases and existing franchises continue to perform amidst evolving viewer preferences and market dynamics, especially with notable names such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in the near horizon.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
Edwin Teo
