Kung Fu Panda 4 opened at the top of the North American box office this weekend and Dune: Part Two became the year’s first film to pass the US$150 million mark domestically as movie-world glitterati gathered in Hollywood for Sunday’s (Mar 10) Oscars ceremony.

Panda, a martial-arts comedy from DreamWorks and Universal, took in an estimated US$58.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations, as Hollywood saw some improving results following a wan start to the year.

The film’s numbers were good enough – for part four of an animated series – to earn it a spot in an “elite” group including Toy Story, Despicable Me/Minions, Ice Age and Shrek, said analyst David Gross. Jack Black voices panda Po as he battles a shape-shifting enemy.

Denis Villeneuve’s epic Dune sequel from Warner Bros meantime enjoyed a strong second weekend, earning a solid US$46 million. That pushed the domestic total for the extravagant sci-fi flick with its lavish cast to US$157 million. It has taken in an additional US$210 million internationally.

Imaginary, a new horror film from Blumhouse Productions and Lionsgate, came in third at US$10 million – not a huge figure, but one nearly equalling its modest production cost, a formula that keeps the horror films coming. DeWanda Wise plays Jessica, who rediscovers her childhood teddy bear Chauncey – only to learn he is not nearly as cute and cuddly as she once thought – certainly no Paddington or Pooh.

Fourth spot, with US$7.6 million, went to Angel Studios’ new faith-based drama Cabrini, about a Catholic nun in 19th-century New York who clashed with politicians and church officials while trying to care for poverty-stricken immigrants. Cristiana Dell’Anna plays Mother Frances Cabrini, who was canonised long after her death.

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And in fifth place, slipping three spots from last weekend, was Paramount’s biopic Bob Marley: One Love, at $4.1 million. Kingsley Ben-Adir plays the iconic reggae singer in the surprise box office hit, which has now taken in US$89.3 million in North America.

There was some good news for those gathering in Hollywood: The domestic box office was down just three per cent this week from a three-year pre-pandemic average, Gross said, “good numbers” after a pallid January and February.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

Ordinary Angels (US$2 million)

Madame Web (US$1.1 million)

Migration (US$1.1 million)

Yolo (US$840,000)

The Chosen: S4 Ep 7-8 (US$750,000) AFP