Jack Black stars in KUNG FU PANDA(2008).
© Dreamworks Animation

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Box Office: DreamWorks Using KUNG FU on Competition

DreamWorks Animation and Paramount joined together to bring a smash hit Shrek the Third to theaters last summer, being one of the top 10 films of 2008 at the box office. It looks like they’re looking to repeat the feat this summer with their latest animation Kung Fu Panda kicking box office butt this weekend. The Jack Black-led voice cast lands on top by opening in 4,114 theaters and grabbing $60.0 million. While this obviously isn’t as good as last summer’s $121.6 mil opening for Shrek the Third, it’s still quite an opening for an unproven franchise. There can be no question who’s having the last laugh this summer in Hollywood circle, with Paramount co-distributing this and managing Iron Man and Indy IV.

Following in 2^nd place is the debut of Adam Sandler’s You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. The comedic take on a counter-terrorist soldier wanting to cut hair premeired on just 3,462 theaters this weekend but still found a way to grab $40.0 mil from audiences. This kind of opening has it averaging $11,554, a pretty good average for a film not even in first place. Sony lists the budget at 90 mil so this opening has it set to clearly make some money if it doesn’t have a major drop the next few weeks. Technically, even with a drop, it’s still likely getting its money back.

Following in 3^rd place is a film which has clearly made its money back for Paramount, the fourth adventure of Indiana Jones. The latest installment into the series grabbed another $22.8 at the box office in its 3^rd weekend at the box office, just a 49% drop from its second week totals. In 18 days of release, the film now has $253.0 mil domestically. As of last weekend, it has $267.1 mil in foreign sales so its worldwide gross is sitting at $520.1 mil. The latest round of international numbers should be arriving tomorrow with the actuals.

Right behind Indy in 4^th place is last weekend’s champion Sex and the City dropping 3 slots and pulling in $21.3 mil on its 3,325 theater prints. This is a 62.6% drop from its debut but New Line is already in the clear with the film anyway with them keeping the budget at $65 mil. In its first two weekends at the box office, it has pulled in $99.2 mil.

Meanwhile, Rogue Pictures’ The Strangers finds its way into 5^th place by taking another $9.2 mil from audiences this weekend. This film too is yet another good notch on the resume for Universal’s Rogue Pictures because they kept the budget very low at just $9 mil, making their $37.6 mil domestic gross a success.

Following in 6^th is the third and best example that Paramount executives are so happy this summer season. Iron Man may be getting pulled out of theaters after a month of release but that’s not stopping it from adding onto its very successful totals. The first film on the comic hero pulled in another $7.5 mil on its 2,931 theaters this weekend. In 38 days of release, “Iron” leads the way with a domestic haul of $288.8 mil from audiences. As you see above, Indy’s got a chance for it as well and seeing how they’re both from Paramount, I don’t the studio minds which film wins in the end. Counting last weekend’s foreign gross mark of $241.4 mil, the film has a worldwide gross of $530.3 mil.

Things aren’t looking as rosy for Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. While the distributor’s CEO has already admitted putting out the sequel in May wasn’t a wise move, it could also be said that giving the film a $200 mil budget can’t be seen as too logical either. In 4 weeks of release, the film still has quite a way to go before it reaches its budget mark. At the moment, it’s sitting at the $125.8 mil mark since it pulled in another $5.5 mil this weekend. If you count the sequel’s foreign numbers, they’re at exactly $200.0 mil but that doesn’t say much. Most studios hope to get their budgets by domestic numbers at least that may be just a bit too much to expect at this point.

The time has come for What Happens in Vegas to get the final brutal laugh on its competition Speed Racer. Both films have been managing to compete since debuting on the same weekend 5 weeks ago with Vegas always being one slot ahead of its counterpart. This weekend, however, Vegas stays in the top 10 while Speed can’t, opting instead for 13^th place. Vegas took another $3.4 mil from audiences this weekend on its 2,366 theaters across the nation. Fox kept the budget low at $35 mil so it’s $72.2 domestic gross makes it a success for the studio. Obviously not as good as Fox’s Dr. Seuss but we’re talking very big differences in demographics and Fox had some major competition this May. They’re likely happy with what they have here.

Same goes for Universal and their Tina Fey-led Baby Mama still managing to find its way into the top 10 after 7 weeks at the box office. Clearly, couples are enjoying the alternative here though its reaching the final days now. This weekend, it only pulled in another $779,000, a sign that its reaching its final days. Of course, it’s only showing on 992 theaters now so that’s another example of its run ending. Overall, with a budget of $30 mil, the film has grossed $57.9 mil domestically.

The final film at the box office is another film ending its run, Sony’s Made of Honor. The Patrick Dempsey-led couple movie is only showing on 740 theaters after 6 weeks at the box office but still managed to pull in another $775,000 this weekend at the box office. With a budget set at $40 mil, it now has a domestic gross of $44.6 mil.

Overall Numbers for Summer Tent Poles

Iron Man Numbers:

Budget: $140 mil
Opening: $98.6 mil
Domestic: $288.8 mil
Foreign: $241.4 mil
Worldwide: $530.3 mil so far

Indiana Jones 4 Numbers:

Budget: $185 mil
Opening: $100.3 mil
Domestic: $253.0 mil
Foreign: $267.1 mil
Worldwide: $520.1 mil so far.

Prince Caspian Numbers:

Budget: $200 mil
Opening: $55.0 mil
Domestic: $125.8 mil
Foreign: $74.1 mil
Worldwide: $200.0 mil

Speed Racer Numbers:

Budget: $120 mil
Opening: $18.5 mil
Domestic: $42.0 mil
Foreign: $33.8 mil
Worldwide: $75.8 mil

Which movie are you going to watch first next weekend, M.Night’s The Happening or Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk? It seems interesting that they’re putting these two films together next weekend, moreso for M.Night after his last few films haven’t performed up to speed the last few years.