"Kung Fu Panda 4" Scores $55M U.S. Debut, "Dune 2" Tops $150M Domestic

The box office roared back to life this weekend, led by the $55 million debut of “Kung Fu Panda 4” from Universal and DreamWorks Animation. The animated sequel delivered the top domestic opening day in the franchise since 2008’s original film. Buoyed by positive reviews and an A- CinemaScore grade, “Panda 4” capitalized on a lack of family competition.

Still going strong in second place, Warner Bros.’ sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” dipped under 50% to add $43.2 million in its sophomore frame. That’s a stellar hold for Denis Villeneuve’s critics’ darling, which has now amassed over $150 million domestically – handily topping 2021’s “Dune.”

In third place, Lionsgate’s microbudget horror “Imaginary” scared up a decent $10 million opening. While reviews were mixed, that’s a solid start for the $12 million Blumhouse production. Faith-based drama “Cabrini” took fourth with $7-8 million for Alejandro Gómez Monteverde’s Angel Studios banner.

Rounding out the top five, Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” strummed past $90 million total after yet another strong weekend. The musician biopic continues outpacing other recent genre titles like “Rocketman” as it nears the end of its run.

Overall, this weekend’s diverse top five shows moviegoing’s recent momentum continuing – especially for broadly appealing genre fare. Whether it’s family-friendly animation, sci-fi spectacle, inspirational dramas or a music icon, these films suggest there’s an audience out there for Hollywood’s best bets.