Universal/DreamWorks' 'Kung Fu Panda 4' has made a strong start at the box office in March, collecting $58.3 million during its opening weekend from 4,035 theaters.
This marks the highest opening weekend for DreamWorks Animation since the pandemic, surpassing the $55 million debut of 'How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World' in February 2019 and the $41.2 million opening of 'Kung Fu Panda 3' in 2016.
If 'Kung Fu Panda 4' manages to surpass $60 million by the end of Sunday, it will be the first DreamWorks Animation film to do so since 'Madagascar 3' in 2012.
Globally, 'Kung Fu Panda 4' has made $22 million in 41 overseas markets, bringing its worldwide debut to $80 million. Universal is expecting the film to have a long theatrical run as children go on spring break in the upcoming weeks. Additionally, the film will be the sole animated family movie available throughout spring, facing no direct competition until 'The Garfield Movie' premieres on Memorial Day weekend.
Warner Bros./Legendary's 'Dune: Part Two' takes second place at the box office, earning an impressive $46 million. This represents a mere 44% drop from the sci-fi epic's $82 million debut and exceeds the $41 million opening weekend of the first 'Dune' in 2021.
While 'Kung Fu Panda' attracted mostly families—56% of its audience was under the age of 25—'Dune: Part Two' continues to appeal to older viewers, maintaining strong word-of-mouth from its opening weekend. The film also benefited from strong interest from audiences who wanted to see it in Imax and other premium formats during the opening weekend but were unable to due to sold-out screenings at local theaters.
'Dune: Part Two' has already earned $157 million in the domestic market, surpassing the $108 million generated by the first 'Dune,' and is expected to exceed $200 million in the coming week. If it continues to perform well, reaching a domestic total of $300 million is still a possibility, a feat achieved last summer only by 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer.'
More information will be shared in the future.
