‘Panda’ masters Friday box office, ‘Indy’ drops to fourth
DreamWorks Animation and Paramount’s “Kung Fu Panda” easily won the Friday box office with a gross of $20 million from 4,114 theaters, giving Jeffrey Katzenberg’s company its highest opening day ever for a non-sequel and second overall after last year’s “Shrek the Third,” which posted an opening day gross of $38.4 million.
Sony’s Adam Sandler laffer “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” placed No. 2 on Friday, opening to $15 milion from 3,462 venues. That marks the second highest opening for a Sandler summer comedy behind 2005’s “The Longest Yard” ($16.2 million).
“Panda,” toplining the voice of Jack Black, is the first animated pic to hit theaters since Fox’s family Easter tentpole “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” which has grossed $152.8 million domestically. However, unlike other family toons, exit polls showed that “Panda” also played to non-family demos on Friday, particularly in the late night showings.
Placing No. 3 on Friday was Warner Bros. and New Line’s “Sex and the City,” which declined 73% from opening Friday to $7.3 million from 3,325 for a cume of $85.3 million.
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” placed fourth with $6.5 million off 4,190, down 48%, and a current running total in its third Friday of $237 million.
- From Variety