The movie’s opening gross exceeded studio expectations of $35 million. Strong reviews and a voice cast featuring Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan and Seth Rogen once again fuelled the film’s North American success. It came in third with over $10.7 million.
Advertisement
The first movie in the franchise earned million in China during its entire run in 2008.
Chinese netizens who caught the movie over the weekend mostly praised its visual effects, although several said they didn’t like the new film’s plot.
After a hiatus of almost five years, the Kung Fu Panda franchise came back to life with Kung Fu Panda 3.
January is a notoriously bad time for movies, but don’t tell that to Kung Fu Panda 3, because it may just kick you in the face and go break some box office records.
Fox also grabbed second place at the box office this weekend with “The Revenant” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which brought in $12.4 million in the US during its fourth weekend of wide release. The IMAX screenings alone (289 theaters) brought in $4.2 million for the CG sequel.
Behind “American Sniper” and Kevin Hart’s original “Ride Along“, “Kung Fu Panda 3” is the third best January opening ever.
One other new release cracked the top ten: the comedy spoof, Fifty Shades of Black, earned $6-million, good for ninth place.
Disney’s launch of Coast Guard rescue adventure The Finest Hours saw only modest returns with US$10.3 million at 3,143 sites – trailing both The Revenant and the seventh weekend of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“The Finest Hours“, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, performed in line with muted forecasts but the results are an obvious disappointment for Disney, given its reported $70 million budget.
Advertisement
The Weinstein Co.is releasing Jane Got a Gun on behalf of the producers, who pulled the film from Relativity Media last summer as Relativity faced bankruptcy.
