The Panda's Kung Fu is strong!
The rotund but agile anthropomorphic bear returned to theaters this weekend with enough fury to put KUNG FU PANDA 3 on top with an estimated $41 million!
Though it could be partially attributed to a January release date, that's the lowest opening in the series for the computer-animated martial artist, behind the original's $60.2 million debut in June 2008 and the $47.6 million start for KUNG FU PANDA 2 in May 2011. But KUNG FU PANDA 3 also doesn't face any family-friendly competition until Disney's ZOOTOPIA arrives on March 4th.
The $140 million Dreamworks sequel also opened to $58 million in China this weekend (just in time for Chinese New Year). The franchise has been more popular internationally than in North America — only 25% of the $665 million worldwide total for KUNG FU PANDA 2 came from domestic audiences.
Still marching on award recognition, THE REVENANT was in second place with $12.4 million. With a domestic total of $138.1 million, star Leonardo DiCaprio has crawled past the totals of his THE DEPARTED ($132 million) and SHUTTER ISLAND ($128 million). Its worldwide total is now $274.7 million.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS came in third with $10.7 million over its seventh weekend in theaters. The latest chapter of the space saga is nearing $900 million domestic and is closing on a worldwide total of $2 billion.
The new Chris Pine/Casey Affleck ocean thriller THE FINEST HOURS opened in fourth place with $10.3 million. Disney's PG-13 account of a courageous 1952 Coast Guard rescue cost a reported $80 million, and didn't get a lifeline from critics with 59% on Rotten Tomatoes.
RIDE ALONG 2 rolled into fifth place with $8.3 million and the PG-13 fright flick THE BOY was in sixth with $7.8 million — down just 27% from its opening last week, a remarkable hold considering the horror genre tends to lose 50% or more in its second weekend.
The Robert De Niro/Zac Efron R-rated comedy DIRTY GRANDPA was in seventh place with $7.5 million, followed by the Chloe Moretz alien invasion thriller THE 5TH WAVE with $7 million, both losing around 32% of business from their openings last weekend.
The latest spoof FIFTY SHADES OF BLACK opened in ninth place with $6.1 million, lower than previous Wayans parodies A HAUNTED HOUSE ($18.1 million) and its sequel ($8.8 million). The new R-rated comedy had a reported cost of only $5 million. Michael Bay's 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI held on to the bottom of the list.
Outside the chart, the Mark Wahlberg/Will Ferrell comedy DADDY'S HOME vacated after a month and a half, along with Oscar nominee THE BIG SHORT and the animated polar bear NORM OF THE NORTH (which finally climbed out of its 0% Rotten Tomatoes average). The troubled Natalie Portman Western JANE GOT A GUN opened on 1200 screens for a miserable $803k, with a per-screen average lower than ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP on its seventh weekend in theaters.
Next weekend offers the horror/literature mashup PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, the romance THE CHOICE and the Coen brothers comedy HAIL, CAESAR!
Which February release are you most interested in seeing? VOTE HERE!
| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | $41 M | NEW |
| 2 | The Revenant | $12.4 M | $138.1 M |
| 3 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | $10.7 M | $895.4 M |
| 4 | The Finest Hours | $10.3 M | NEW |
| 5 | Ride Along 2 | $8.3 M | $70.7 M |
| 6 | Dirty Grandpa | $7.5 M | $22.8 M |
| 7 | The Boy | $7.8 M | $21.5 M |
| 8 | The 5th Wave | $7 M | $20.1 M |
| 9 | Fifty Shades of Black | $6.1 M | NEW |
| 10 | 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi | $6 M | $42.5 M |