“Kung Fu Panda 4,” produced by Universal and DreamWorks Animation, maintained its dominance at the domestic box office, raking in a commendable $30 million in its second weekend of release. With a total of 10 days in theaters, the animated family feature has accumulated $107.7 million in North America and $176.5 million globally.
The robust ticket sales of “Kung Fu Panda 4” easily outpaced the debut of Mark Wahlberg’s canine drama “Arthur the King,” which premiered in third place. Despite opening at the lower end of expectations, “Arthur the King” garnered a modest $7.5 million from 3,003 theaters. Lionsgate, the distributor, had invested $19 million in the heartwarming tale of a man who forms a bond with an injured stray dog, potentially mitigating its box office underperformance due to its relatively low production cost.
While critics gave “Arthur the King” lukewarm reviews (earning a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences were more enthusiastic, awarding the film an “A” grade on CinemaScore.
David A. Gross, from the movie consultancy Franchise Entertainment Research, pointed out the challenge in marketing “The American Society of Magical Negroes,” stating that it doesn’t fit into typical genre categories like family films or comedies.
He noted that while it’s not a hard adventure, it also doesn’t cater to audiences seeking edgier content, making it a difficult sell.
In its debut, “The American Society of Magical Negroes” landed at the ninth spot, struggling to gain momentum. Despite a limited release in theaters, it only managed to pull in $1.25 million. Directed by first-timer Kobi Libii and featuring Justice Smith and David Alan Grier, the film faced negative reviews, receiving a meager 30% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Its premise, revolving around a young man joining an organization aimed at aiding white people, may have contributed to its lack of resonance with audiences, further impeding its box office success.
In a tight race for second place, “Dune: Part Two” continued to perform impressively, pulling in a substantial $29 million from 3,847 locations during its third weekend in theaters. The film saw a mere 37% decline in ticket sales compared to the previous weekend.
With a cumulative North American gross of $205 million and a global total exceeding $400 million, the sci-fi sequel is poised to surpass its predecessor’s box office numbers. The original “Dune” raked in $433 million worldwide, despite simultaneous release on HBO Max in the U.S. and Canada.
Lionsgate’s Blumhouse thriller “Imaginary” secured the fourth spot with $5.5 million from 3,118 theaters. After two weeks in cinemas, the horror flick, centered around a woman haunted by her childhood teddy bear named Chauncey, has amassed a total of $19 million. Given its modest production budget of around $11 million, the film remains in a favorable position financially as it continues its theatrical run.
Rounding out the top five is Angel Studio’s faith-based biographical drama “Cabrini,” which added $2.9 million from 2,850 theaters. The film’s domestic earnings now stand at $13 million.