- Kung Fu Panda 4 – £5,020,600 – NE
Took £1,110,144 (22.1%) from previews (Thursday)
Took £1.77m (35.26%) Friday; £1.26m (25.1%) Saturday; £859k (17.1%) Sunday.
The weekend split was much different than normal due to the nature of cinemagoing during Easter weekend taking much more on Friday (45.3%) than on Saturday as normally family films will see a big increase, but it dropped 29% Fri-Sat and then 32% Sat-Sun but then had a 40% increase Sun-Mon. From Monday, April 1st –Sunday, April 14th it should take £1m+ taking about £20m by then.
297th biggest opening between Independence Day: Resurgence and The Grinch (close to Bumblebee, Dolittle, The Little Mermaid (2023) and Pitch Perfect 2) and 449th biggest inflated opening between The Greatest Showman and The Little Mermaid (close to Ghostbusters (1984), Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Mask).
24th widest opening in 709 cinemas (1,600 screens) between Death on the Nile and Jurassic World Dominion; 29th 700+ cinema opening since 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
The 51st biggest animated opening between Tangled and The Grinch (close to The Croods, Zootropolis, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Kung Fu Panda 3) and the 70th inflated animated opening between Flushed Away and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (close to Ice Age, Chicken Little, Despicable Me and Mr. Peabody and Sherman).
17th biggest Dreamworks Animation opening between How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (close to Trolls, Madagascar, How to Train Your Dragon and Monsters Vs. Aliens) and 23rd biggest inflated between Flushed Away and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (close to Shrek, Over The Hedge, Bee Movie and Antz).
The 4th biggest post-pandemic animation opening in the UK after Super Mario Bros, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Sing 2 and 3rd biggest opening in 2024 between Bob Marley: One Love and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.
With previews, the opening was 8.7% of US opening and without 6.7%.
2008’s Kung Fu Panda opened £6,069,679 (including £1,689,313 previews) £9,244,588 inflated taking £19,634,723 (£29,905,193 inflated)
2011’s Kung Fu Panda 2 opened £6,188,897 (including £3,120,000 previews) £8,088,459 inflated taking £16,199,968 (£21,172,235 inflated)
2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 opened £4,771,131 (including £1,589,446 previews) £5,099,508 inflated taking £13,993,060 (£14,956,145 inflated)
38 Dreamworks Animation films have taken over £710m and almost £1bn inflated.
In 2010 Jeffrey Katzenberg said that there were plans for six films in the series. In August 2022 Dreamworks Animation confirmed Kung Fu Panda 4 was in production with details released at CinemaCon 2023. The trailer was released in December and viewed over 142m times in the first 24 hours, more than The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Sing 2 and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
With the lucrative Easter holidays, Kung Fu Panda 4 will hold strongly over the next 10 days taking £20m+ by April 14and there are another two months until the next two major animation films Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4.
- 2. Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire – £4,139,394 – NE
Took £1.91m (46.14%) Friday; £1.32m (31.92%) Saturday; £888k (21.48%) Sunday.
377th biggest opening between Starsky & Hutch and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (close to Godzilla (1998), Mission: Impossible, Rampage and Shazam!) and 569th biggest inflated opening between The Second-Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (close to Crocodile Dundee, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Mars Attacks and What Lies Beneath).
Surprisingly its opening was only 5.17% of the US opening, but all of the Godzilla films have opened much lower to the US (all Fri-Sun BO no previews); 2014’s Godzilla 5.58%; Godzilla Vs. Kong 2.48%; Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire 5.17%; Godzilla: King of the Monsters 4.83%. This compares to Kong: Skull Island 9.2% and 1998’s Godzilla was 9.48% £4,176,960 (£8,208,815 inflated); while Godzilla Minus One opened £816,891 #2 468 screens taking £2,341,181.
The fifth film of the MonsterVerse and sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong
2014’s Godzilla opened £6,385,483 (including £1,185,844 previews) £7,525,748 inflated taking £17,074,621 (£20,123,660 inflated)
2017’s Kong: Skull Island opened £6,230,997 (including £615,360 previews) taking £15,616,015
2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters opened £3,507,717 #2 taking £6,901,606
2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong opened £3,507,717 (including £1,200,503 previews) taking £6,779,991
The trailer looks like it’s going to be the stupidest film of the year and the stupidest since Godzilla vs. Kong when (spoiler) cola can save the day. While Dune Part 2 held on to IMAX screens a large percentage of BO likely came from PLF screens.
While Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire received poor reviews from critics (54% Rotten Tomatoes) compared to Godzilla: King of the Monsters 42%; Godzilla 76% and Godzilla vs. Kong 76% audience reactions have been far more popular as it’s a popcorn film, that said how it drops in its second weekend will be a key indication on audience reaction.
- 3. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – £2,133,302 – £8,272,714
Down -47.4% in its second weekend
Took £898k 42.24% (-15.28% £1.06m) Friday; £731k 34.38% (-58.47% £1.76m) Saturday; £508k 23.28% (-41.86% £1.236m) Sunday.
421st biggest second weekend between Dolittle and Ocean’s Twelve (close to Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, Ghostbusters Afterlife (£33,928 more) and Night at the Museum 2) and 719th biggest inflated between Police Academy 4: Citizens On Patrol and Star Trek: Insurrection (close to Prince of Persia, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, The Golden Child and Coming To America).
2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife dropped 51% (44% without previews) £2,099,374 and £7,513,854 of £11,494,268
2016’s Ghostbusters dropped 70% (51% without previews) £1,320,048 #4 and £7,194,619 of £10,554,557
1984’s Ghostbusters took £12.4m (£54,258,564 inflated)
1989’s Ghostbusters 2 dropped 34.1% £934,880 (£3,177,790 inflated) and £2,977,346 of £8,301,000 (£28,216,275 inflated)
It’s interesting that over the 40 years of Ghostbusters, they all had similar openings and BO including inflation. While the original Ghostbusters film opened in December 1984 the same weekend as Gremlins.
While there has been much media coverage on promotions for the film it doesn’t seem to have the same media coverage as Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire opening next week has received.
863rd biggest between Scream 2 and Grown Ups 2 (close to Waterworld, Ghostbusters 2, The Rock and Inspector Gadget) and 1,407th biggest inflated between The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Jojo Rabbit (close to Leon, Point-Break (1991), Thelma & Louise and Death on the Nile).
- 4. Dune Part 2 £1,667,551 – £34,071,957
Down 36.5% in the fifth weekend
£650k 39.04% (-2.11% £664k) Friday; £567k (-47.98% £1.09m) Saturday; £444k 26.67% (-12.6% 508k) Sunday.
64th biggest fifth weekend between A Christmas Carol and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (close to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Inception, Les Miserables and Slumdog Millionaire) and 151st biggest inflated between Tomorrow Never Dies and American Pie (close to Batman, Forrest Gump, True Lies and The Day After Tomorrow).
Dune Part 2 took 163% more than Dune’s fifth weekend (£634,843 #4) but kept most IMAX/PLF while Dune had Ghostbusters: Afterlife #1 (£4,314,263); Eternals #2 (£1,217,624) 2,918,586) and No Time To Die #3 (£940,075)
Like other lengthy films Dune Part 2 takes the bulk of its BO over the weekend with 42% of its weekend BO from Saturday.
Fifth weekends
2021’s Dune dropped 45% £634,843 #4 556 screens and £20,185,469 92% of £21,947,056; Dune took 3.73x opening if Dune part 2 did similar it will take £34m+
2010’s Inception dropped 25% £1,681,130 #2 472 screens and £29,204,120 83.5% of £34,976,999 (£46,851,543 inflated); took 5.92x opening
2013’s Gravity dropped 37% £1,092,998 #3 428 screens and £24,557,256 75% of £32,756,514; 5.24x opening
2014’s Interstellar dropped 47% £610,289 #6 348 screens and £19,150,662 90.4% of £21,173,601; 3.73x opening
2015’s The Martian dropped 65% £590,743 #6 448 screens and £21,797,926 92.4% of £23,589,854; 3.61x opening
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 dropped 49% £347,024 #8 296 screens £18,202,599 96.2% of £18,918,361; 3.1x opening
2017’s Logan dropped 41% £444,414 #8 339 screens and £22,815,443 96.4% of £23,655,614; 2.5x opening
2023’s Oppenheimer dropped 35% £2,045,953 #2 740 screens and £50,054,877 84.1% of £59,550,750; took 5.37x opening
2007’s I Am Legend dropped 40% £647,662 #6 403 screens and £24,836,545 98% of £25,348,532 (£39,754,529 inflated); 2.3x opening
2005’s War of the Worlds dropped 42% £1,012,442 #5 325 screens and £27,637,440 91% of £30,367,791 (£51,386,687 inflated); 3.43x opening
2009’s Avatar up 16% £5,527,039 #1 441 screens and £49,374,516 52.8% of £93,442,625 (£136,900,316 inflated); 14.1x opening
2017’s Dunkirk down 26% £1,938,125 #2 647 screens and £49,101,623 86.4% of £56,797,955; 5.65x opening
118th biggest between Up and Fantastic Beasts 2 (close to Die Another Day, Inception, Spider-Man 3 and The Matrix Reloaded) and 256th biggest inflated between Mr Bean Holiday and Three Men and a Little Lady (close to Armageddon, Octopussy, Pretty Woman and Godzilla (1998).
23rd biggest Warner Bros between Inception and Fantastic Beasts 2 (close to Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Batman Vs Superman, Gravity and iT) and 44th inflated between iT and The Matrix (close to Sherlock Holmes, The Fugitive, Lethal Weapon and Batman and Robin).
The biggest-ever opening weekend of a Malayalam in the UK overtaking 2024’s Manjummel Boys £181,538 #14 from 59 screens and the 3rd highest Mollywood film at the UK box office.
It again shows the popularity and growth of Indian and South Asian films in the UK and these films open in less than a quarter of the screens (124 for Aadujeevitham) mostly without IMAX/PLF and in smaller auditoriums of multiplex cinemas, but the majority of them are very front-loaded not lasting more than a week in the top 10.
Also opened.
- Mother’s Instinct – Studiocanal
£406,489 #6 from 464 screens
Took £138,748 from previews (Weds/Thurs)
Took £106k Friday; £93k Saturday; £68k Sunday.
Based on the 2012 French-language thriller Derrière la haine (Behind the Hate) by Barbara Abel and the 2018 Belgian movie adaptation, the remake stars Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain.
- Mary Poppins (60th Anniversary) – Park Circus
Opened £22,140 from 220 screens.
Mary Poppins received huge media coverage over the last month after it was reclassified by the BBFC from a U to a PG. Mary Poppins is one of several films that have seen its rating go higher after being reclassified.
UK box office in detail
The weekend’s top 10 box office took £14,699,986 up 66.4% from last weekend’s £8,835,336: 1,856,059 admissions up 68.7% from 1,100,066 admissions.
10th biggest weekend of the last 52 weeks between 16 February 2024 #1 Bob Marley: One Love £6,950,773 (47.15%) and 11 August 2023 #1 Barbie £4,428,044 ( 31.77%)
25th biggest since cinemas reopened out of 176 weeks between 16 February 2024 #1 Bob Marley: One Love £6,950,773 (47.15%) and 17 June 2022 #1 Jurassic World: Dominion £5,717,882 (39.64%)
246th biggest top 10 of the last 22 years (out of 1,148) between 18 October 2019 #1 Joker £5,489,716 (37.34%) and 10 July 2009 #1 Bruno £5,000,229 ( 34.04%) and 508th biggest inflated between 15 June 2018 #1 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom £7,220,952 (54.15%) and 04 October 2002 #1 Lilo & Stitch £1,516,249 (19.18%)
The top 3 took (£11,293,296) 76.8% of the top 10; Kung Fu Panda 4 34.15% (£5,020,600); Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire 28.15% (£4,139,394); Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire 14.51% (£2,133,302).
564th highest #1 percentage (34.15%) between 24 September 2021 #1 Shangi-Chi (34.17%) and 06 September 2002 #1 The Bourne Identity (34.11%)
509th biggest admissions #1 (633,914) between 30 December 2005 #1 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (635,762) and 26 May 2023 #1 The Little Mermaid (632,946)
Up 66.5% from 2023; (£8,882,883); Dungeons And Dragons (£3,544,354); Mummies (£648,460); The Big Lebowski (25th Anniversary) (£31,818); #1 Dungeons And Dragons £3,544,354 1st week 680 screens (39.9% of top 10)
Up 15.5% from 2022 (£12,727,545); Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (£4,986,334); Morbius (£3,254,830); The Bad Guys (£2,279,074); #1 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 £4,986,334 1st week 650 screens (39.2% of top 10)
2021; Lockdown 2
2020: Lockdown 1
Up 30.5% from 2019: (£11,266,299); Dumbo (£6,076,779); Die Walkure – Met Opera 2019 (£176,278); #1 Dumbo £6,076,779 1st week 666 screens (53.9% of top 10)
Down 17.6% from 2018; (£17,838,773); Ready Player One (£5,113,041); Isle of Dogs (£1,641,509); Blockers (£1,349,627); Duck Duck Goose (£653,832); Cosi Fan Tutte – Met Opera 2018 (£261,409); Midnight Sun (£163,482); Journeyman (£60,249); #1 Peter Rabbit £5,610,556 3rd week up 23% 694 screens (31.45%)
Up 0.95% from 2017: (£14,560,830); Ghost in the Shell (£2,300,753); Smurfs: The Lost Village (£1,383,059); Free Fire (£480,644); Peter Kay’s Car Share: A Second Series Celebration (£283,024); Madama Butterfly – Royal Opera, London 2016/17 (£65,810); The Autopsy of Jane Doe (£12,678); #1 Beauty and the Beast £6,750,000 3rd 45% drop 647 screens (46.36%)
Up 10.9% from 2016: (£13,252,091); Eddie the Eagle (£2,834,785); Madama Butterfly – Met Opera 2016 (£421,695); Victoria (£108,602); #1 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice £4,661,959 2nd week 68% drop 612 screens (44.45%)
Up 13.9% from 2015; (£12,903,791); Cinderella (£3,803,799); The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water 3D (£2,262,498); Get Hard (£1,438,389); Seventh Son (£411,576); Wild Tales (£183,423); The Signal (£10,103); #1 Cinderella £3,803,799 1st week 554 screens (29.5% of top 10)
Up 35.1% from 2014: (£10,881,865); Captain America: The Winter Soldier (£6,037,850); Muppets Most Wanted (£2,214,906); The Legend of Hercules (£189,881); 20 Feet from Stardom (£62,154); #1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier £6,037,850 1st week 535 screens (55.5% of top 10)
Up 17.8% from 2013: (£12,481,896); GI Joe: Retaliation (£2,792,861); Trance (£1,592,339); The Host (£991,017); Finding Nemo 3D (£264,779); In the House (£209,431); Good Vibrations (£56,320); #1 The Croods £3,305,642 2nd week 535 screens 38% drop (26.5% of top 10)
Up 46.6% from 2012 (£10,028,615); Wrath of the Titans (£2,192,740); The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists (£2,176,195); Streetdance 2 (£608,024); #1 The Hunger Games £2,986,317 2nd week 505 screens 39% drop (29.78%)
Up 126.5% from 2011 (£6,490,539); HOP (£1,392,740); Source Code (£1,306,661); Sucker Punch (£814,976); Killing Bono (£112,206); Oranges and Sunshine (£82,922); Psycho (£8,552); The Railway Children (RE) (£1,470); #1 HOP £1,392,740 476 screens 1st week (21.46%)
Down 32.5% from 2010: (£21,761,471); Clash of the Titans (£5,682,875); How to Train your Dragon (£4,846,532); Kick-Ass (£3,881,704); Remember Me (£987,310); #1 Clash of the Titans £5,682,875 446 screens 1st week (25.19%)
Up 69.6% from 2009; (£8,665,959); Knowing (£2,471,605); The Haunting in Connecticut (£1,127,679); The Damned United (£618,929); Two Lovers (£88,060); Traitor (£78,675); The Life Before Her Eyes (£1,596); #1 Knowing £2,471,605 1st week 391 screens (28.5% of top 10)
Up 81.9% from 2008; (£8,081,479); 27 Dresses (£1,752,897); Drillbit Taylor (£724,738); First Sunday (£40,706); Grindhouse (£27,225); The Hottie and the Nottie (£17,167); #1 27 Dresses £1,752,897 1st week 428 screens (21.7% of top 10)
Up 19.5% from 2007: (£12,296,196); Mr Beans Holiday (£6,440,093); Meet the Robinsons (£895,955); The Hills Have Eyes II (£775,160); The Last Mimzy (£188,116); The Namesake (£125,084); #1 Mr Beans Holiday £6,440,093 1st week 512 screens (52.4% of top 10)
Up 139.8% from 2006; (£6,128,821): Failure to Launch (£874,999); The Shaggy Dog (£831,250); Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction (£487,031); Firewall (£465,880); Yours, Mine, and Ours (£330,665); The White Countess (£70,012); #1 Inside Man £1,117,054 2nd week 356 screens 38% drop.
Up 96.3% from 2005 (£7,489,470); The Ring Two (£2,062,792); Be Cool (expansion) (£1,150,434); Downfall (£163,413); #1 The Ring Two £2,062,792 419 screens 1st week (25.90%)
Up 28.1% from 2004 (£11,477,491); Scooby-Doo Too (£3,549,487); The Cat in the Hat (£1,739,814); Gothika (£1,398,777); Monster (£320,983); #1 Scooby-Doo Too £3,549,487 489 screens 1st week (30.93%)
Up 257.4% from 2003 (£4,112,397); The Recruit (expansion) (£923,834); The Core (£583,238); Cradle 2 The Grave (£374,938); The Rules of Attraction (£227,531); #1 The Recruit £923,834 1st week 382 screens (2nd weekend up 2545% (22.4% of top 10)
Up 59.6% from 2002 (£9,207,851); Blade 2 (£2,540,226); Crossroads (£1,126,053); E.T. (20th Anniversary) (£465,048); #1 Blade 2 £2,540,226 1st week 345 screens (27.6% of top 10)
2023 Next week: (£21,185,037); Super Mario Bros (£15,691,810); Air (£1,174,554); The Pope’s Exorcist (£707,050); Superman (45th Anniversary) (£15,399); #1 Super Mario Bros £15,691,810 1st week 718 screens (74.07% of top 10)
- Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire – Warner Bros
Opened $80m; received mixed reviews (55% Rotten Tomatoes) and A- CinemaScore
Took $10m from Thursday midnights; Godzilla $9.3m; Godzilla: King of the Monsters $6.3m; Kong: Skull Island $3.7m.
118th biggest opening between Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Five Nights at Freddy’s (close to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and I Am Legend)
Opened in PLF, 4DX, ScreenX, DBox and selective IMAX screens (Dune Part 2 has the majority still of IMAX screens)
EntTelligence said it had 5.5m; 89% of all PLF admissions. IMAX/PLF 38% and 19% for 3D; 12% before 1pm; 34% between 1pm-5pm; 31% between 5pm-8pm; 23% after 8pm.
Men 67% of tickets and 62% 35 and under
The budget was $135m with Legendary funding 75% and Warner Bros 25% with Warner paying P&A costs which are probably another $65m+ with promotional partners.
Previous MonsterVerse films
2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters opened $47.77m taking $110.5m and $387.3m worldwide
2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong opened $31.62m taking $100.91m and $470.11m worldwide
2014’s Godzilla opened $93.18m taking $200.67m and $524.97m worldwide
2017’s Kong: Skull Island opened $61.02m taking $168.05m and $568.65m worldwide
While
1998’s Godzilla opened $44.04m taking $136.31m and $379.01m worldwide
2005’s King Kong opened $50.13m taking $218.08m and $556.9m worldwide
It was expected to open with $135m worldwide and expected to open with $80m+ internationally with the bulk coming from China as all other films in the MonsterVerse. Godzilla vs. Kong opened with $105m from 38 territories, including $63m from China. China is a key territory for these kinds of films with Kong: Skull Island ($68m), Godzilla vs. Kong ($63m) and The Meg 2 ($53m).
Opened $114m internationally from 64 territories and $194m worldwide; China $44m; Mexico $12.8m; India $5.5m; UK $5.3m; Australia $3.7m; Spain $3.5m; Indonesia $3m; Taiwan $3m; Brazil $2.5m; Malaysia $2.5m; S. Korea $2.5m; Thailand $2.5m
US Box Office
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – Sony Pictures
Dropped 65% taking $15.57m #2 and $73.28m.
679th biggest second weekend between Analyze This and Hairspray (close to Jungle Cruise, Spy, The Greatest Showman and Dick Tracy) Ghostbusters 2 #807; Ghostbusters #715; Ghostbusters: Afterlife #333; Ghostbusters #419.
1,186th biggest between Yesterday and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral; 2,299th biggest inflated between Beverly Hills Ninja and Terminator: Dark Fate; 5th biggest 2024 between Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Mean Girls; 152nd biggest Sony Pictures between Monster House and Hollow Man.
2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife dropped 45% $24.2m and $87.51m of $129.36m and $204.33m worldwide
2016’s Ghostbusters dropped 54.3% $21m and $86.26m of $128.35m and $229.14m worldwide.
1989’s Ghostbusters 2 dropped 53% $13.85m and $58.76m of $112.49m ($297m inflated) and $215.39m worldwide
1984’s Ghostbusters up 11.2% $15.09m and $38.26m of $243.57m ($763.35m inflated) and $296.57m worldwide; was #1 for 7 consecutive weeks and returned #1 for another 7 weeks over the following 5 months.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife had a budget of $75m less than half of the budget of 2016’s Ghostbusters; in August 2016 Sony Pictures said they expected to lose $70m on Ghostbusters as the break-even point was $300m.
It’s a strange coincidence all previous Ghostbusters films have taken similar BO in the US.
Took $11.2m from 27 territories $35.1m total and $108.37m worldwide; UK $5.3m; Mexico $2.7m; Australia $2m; Germany $1.7m; Spain $1.3m.
1,688th biggest worldwide between Terms of Endearment and 10 Cloverfield Lane; 10th biggest 2024 between The Beekeeper and Mean Girls; 219th biggest Sony Pictures between Pompeii and The American President.
- Kung Fu Panda 4 – Universal Pictures
Dropped 37% in the third weekend $10.34m #4 and $151.79m
651st biggest third weekend between I, Robot and The Social Network (close to Enchanted, Rise of the Guardians, The Secret Life of Pets 2 and The Angry Birds Movie).
82nd biggest animated film between Cars 3 and Puss in Boots; 407th biggest between Runaway Bride and Gremlins; 998th inflated between Housesitter and Death Becomes Her; 2nd biggest 2024 between Dune: Part Two and Bob Marley: One Love; 56th biggest Universal Pictures between Fast & Furious and Neighbors.
Since acquiring Dreamworks Animation success has come from existing properties with original films underperforming their next two The Wild Robot and Dog Man are more important titles.
The Wild Robot trailer looks gorgeous similar to The Iron Giant and Wall-E while Dog Man is the spinoff to the underrated Captain Underpants that took less than half of Cars 3 (opened with $53.7m similar to King Fu Panda 4). The question is will audiences come out to see The Wild Robot as they did for Wall-E but didn’t for The Iron Giant?
Fourth weekends
2008’s Kung Fu Panda dropped 46.7% $11.69m and $179.27m of $215.77m and $632.08m worldwide
2011’s Kung Fu Panda 2 dropped 45.4% $9.02m and $143.67m of $165.24m and $665.69m worldwide
2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 dropped 36.6% $12.51m and $117.12m of $143.52m and $521.17m worldwide
48 Dreamworks Animation films have taken $6.3bn from the US and $16.83bn worldwide.
Upcoming Dreamworks Animation films The Wild Robot opens in September and Dog Man in January with two untitled films also set for release in 2025.
Took $43.7m from 69 territories and $195.54m total and $347.34m worldwide; China $34.2m; Mexico $28.4m; Germany $10.5m; Spain $8.8m; Italy $8m; UK $6.5m; France $4.9m; Brazil $4.6m.
Has staggered opening over the next few weeks ahead of Easter making it impossible to compare internationally with other animated films, which said Universal has staggered the openings of several animated films over recent years.
89th biggest animated film worldwide between Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and Pocahontas; 458th biggest between Rush Hour 2 and Pocahontas; 55th biggest Universal Pictures between Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
- Dune Part 2 -Warner Bros
Dropped 36% in its fifth weekend $11.35m #3 and $252.64m.
Took $1.65m from IMAX and $62m total.
88th biggest fifth weekend between 101 Dalmatians and Inception (close to Joker #50; Gravity #59; The Martian #78; Oppenheimer #113; I Am Legend #225; Interstellar #255)
Dune Part 2 for a fifth weekend is again coincidentally similar to Oppenheimer’s weekend BO.
143rd biggest between Despicable Me and Batman; 444th biggest inflated between Venom and Coco; 32nd biggest sci-fi between I am Legend and Men in Black; 31st biggest Warner Bros between The Hangover Part II and Batman.
Fifth weekends
2021’s Dune dropped 42.7% $3.17m and $98.3m of $108.89m and $433.79m worldwide
2010’s Inception dropped 39% $11.28m and $248.46m of $292.58m and $839.03m worldwide
2023’s Oppenheimer dropped 43% $10.72m and $285.35m of $329.01m and $957.59m worldwide
2013’s Gravity dropped 36.3% $12.82m and $218.89m of $274.09m and $773.03m worldwide
2014’s Interstellar dropped 50.5% $7.78m and $158.44m of $188.02m and $731.07m worldwide
2015’s The Martian dropped 25.5% $11.71m and $183.12m of $228.43m and $630.62m worldwide
2016’s Arrival dropped 23.1% $5.58m and $81.43m of $100.54m and $203.38m worldwide
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 dropped 43.6% $2.32m and $85.54m of $92.07m and $267.68m worldwide
2017’s Logan dropped 40.9% $6.1m and $211.77m of $226.27m and $619.02m worldwide
2009’s Avatar dropped 14.9% $42.78m and $493.25m of $749.76m and $2.743bn worldwide
Visual cinematic films including Oppenheimer, Interstellar, Gravity, Prometheus and Inception are comparable titles. At the same time, as Tenet, Dune Part 2 will have all IMAX/PLF/Dolby screens which Oppenheimer never had as Barbie had some PLF screens.
Took $18.4m from 73 territories in 18,437 screens $373.7m total and $626.34m worldwide; China $46.5m; UK $43m; Germany $34.3m; France $34.2m; Australia $19.4m; S. Korea $16.5m; Spain $13.3m; Mexico $10.9m; Italy $10.5m; Poland $9.6m; Holland $9.3m; Brazil $7.1m.
Has taken $62m from IMAX in the US and $56.5m internationally with an additional $15.5m from China and $134m worldwide; 21.4% of its global BO from IMAX.
172nd biggest worldwide between Ratatouille and Hancock; 36th biggest sci-fi between The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 and The Lost World: Jurassic Park; 30th biggest Warner Bros between Wonka and The Hangover Part II.
UK Box Office Top 10
UK Box Office Preview
Taking £1m+ Mon-Thurs Kung Fu Panda 4 will hold #1 for a second weekend but as its opening was inflated with £1.1m previews will drop about 20%-30% taking £3.5m-£4m and £13m+ to date.
Being the Easter holidays Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire will hold better than previous MonsterVerse films down 40%-50% taking £2m-£2.5m
2021’s Godzilla Vs. Kong dropped 67% £254,172 and £1,736,299 of £2,599,827
2019’s Godzilla: King Of The Monsters dropped 70% £1,033,322 and £5,529,880 of £6,901,606
2017’s Kong: Skull Island dropped 56% £2,705,634 and £11,066,584 of £15,616,015
2014’s Godzilla dropped 57% £2,731,355 and £11,828,213 of £17,074,621
The First Omen and Monkey Man will be battling out for third and fourth, horror films are very popular, but they have underwhelmed this year with Night Swim, Imaginary and Immaculate. The First Omen comes 48 years after the original Richard Donner film and 18 years after the last film 2006’s The Omen opening £2,096,002 (with 3 days of previews) dropping 72% in the second weekend taking £4,220,983.
Monkey Man has been compared to Jason Bourne and John Wick films but with an 18 certificate much more violent, has received positive reviews and Dev Patel has been heavily promoting the film. But is strange dating for both films targetting adult audiences over the second weekend of the Easter holidays, that said there’s a real mix of films playing to all demographics, so these two films could open £1m+ alongside the strong holdovers.
The arrival of these two films will likely see Dune Part 2 drop below £1m+ in its sixth weekend and drop out of the top 5. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will likely drop to fifth.
Unlikely British comedy Seize Them! Will open in the top 10, the film has received positive reviews but will struggle to find an audience as will the similarly themed The Book of Clarence opening later this month after flopping in the US earlier in the year.
As The Super Mario Bros. Movie opened £15,691,810 at the same weekend last year BO will be heavily down again from last year and won’t improve from last year until May. The positive is there are a lot of original films, but the problem is whether will audiences come out to see them, Monkey Man, Civil War and Challengers, with big questions over the Back to Black biopic, is it too soon for an Amy Winehouse biopic?
Opening in two weeks
- Challengers – Warner Bros
Romantic tennis drama starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist and directed by Luca Guadagnino.
It was due for release in September after premiering at the Venice International Film Festival, but the release date was delayed due to the SAG strike.
Luca Guadagnino’s previous films are 2016’s A Bigger Splash, 2017’s Call Me By Your Name, 2018’s Suspiria and 2022’s Bones and All.
Tennis films have struggled to find an audience in cinemas with films including King Richard, Battle of the Sexes, Wimbledon and Match Point. While it’s Zendaya’s first film since Dune Part 2.
Early reactions have been positive, with strong performances and a great soundtrack.
- Ordinary Angels – Sony Pictures
Faith-based drama starring Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, Nancy Travis, and Tamala Jones and directed by Jon Gunn is based on true events during the 1994 North American cold wave.
Faith-based films struggle to find an audience internationally as seen by 2023’s Sound of Freedom opening $19.68m and taking $184.17m in the US taking $66.39m internationally 26.5% of $250.57m; it opened in the UK with £760,060 (including £170,571 previews) #4 from 523 screens taking £2,009,767.
Most other faith-based films take far less and Ordinary Angels will take similar faith-based films like 2016’s Risen opened £69,909 #19 162 screens.
cigarette burns and missed changeovers 