Following a previously cold start to the 2024 box office season, things are finally heating up as Kung Fu Panda 4 overtakes the previous leader, Dune: Part Two. The lovable clumsy, yet immensely skilled Dragon Warrior, Master Po Ping, has an impressive opening, raking in $58.3 million domestically, outperforming the initial two-weekends earning of Dune: Part Two, which has reached a total of $368 million worldwide. Meanwhile, newcomers Imaginary and Cabrini both made significant debuts as well, entering the box office top 5 rankings.
Kung Fu Panda 4 Regains Box Office Leadership
Kung Fu Panda 4’s domestic opening has been a tremendous success, marking the franchise’s largest opening since the original Kung Fu Panda in 2008, which earned $60.2 million in its initial theatrical run. Despite the less impactful release overseas, the fourth installment of the Dragon Warrior’s franchise has still managed to bag an additional $22.2 million internationally, culminating in a worldwide weekend total of $80.5 million.
New Releases Shake Up The Box Office Top 5
Besides Kung Fu Panda 4, Lionsgate’s Imaginary also had a significant debut, coming in at number 3 with $10 million. Even though the Blumhouse production didn’t do quite as well as the company’s last release, Night Swim, Imaginary has already made back its production costs with its impressive domestic debut. Additional newcomer, Cabrini, also had a successful opening weekend, settling at the number 4 spot, amassing $7.6 million.
Strong Performances from Additional Releases
Biographical drama Cabrini partnered with another of its kind, Bob Marley: One Love, to round out the top 5, accruing $4 million. Despite the somewhat disastrous box office performance of Madame Web, dropping another 64% between weekends, the Dakota Johnson-led film managed to make an additional $1.1 million. Simultaneously, the limited theater release of Director Jia Ling’s YOLO debuted at number 9, bringing in $840,000, with Timothée Chalamet’s Willy Wonka prequel, Wonka, reaching number 10 and adding another $600,000.
Wrapping Up
March 2024 promises more movie madness with the upcoming release of Mark Wahlberg’s Arthur the King and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, heating up the box office competition even more. For movie enthusiasts eager to stay up-to-date on the latest films and ratings, make sure to visit HitPlay for all your movie needs.
