Saturday Update
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DreamWorks and Paramount topped the North American box office
on Friday with the powerful debut of their new animated comedy Kung
Fu Panda which captured an estimated $20M in its first day of
release. It was the biggest opening day for a toon since last summer's
The Simpsons Movie which launched with
a $29.4M Friday, and ranks as the second best first-day tally for a DreamWorks
animated film after last year's Shrek the Third
which bowed to $38.4M in May.
Look for Kung Fu Panda to soar to $62-67M over the three-day period allowing Paramount to claim the three biggest openings of 2008 adding to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Iron Man. Adam Sandler's latest comedy You Don't Mess With the Zohan launched in second place with an estimated $15M in its first day in multiplexes. The figure was better than the $12.4M Friday bow of the comedian's last pic I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry which finished its opening weekend with $34.2M. Zohan edged out the $14.6M opening day of Sandler's previous effort Click from June 2006 which ended up with $40M for the debut frame. Sony could find its way to $39-42M this weekend with Zohan. Together, Panda in 4,114 theaters and Zohan in 3,462 locations aim to deliver a socko $100M+ in combined ticket sales this weekend to kickstart the June box office. Among holdovers, Friday-to-Friday declines were 72% for Sex and the City, 47% for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and 59% for The Strangers. For a NEW review of You Don't Mess With The Zohan visit The Chief Report. Be sure to check back on Sunday for a complete weekend box office report. |
Last Updated: June 7, 2008 at 2:15PM ET
Written by Gitesh Pandya