Earning the eternal love of sensitive cineastes everywhere, KUNG FU PANDA kicked the crap out of YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN. Paramount’s computer-generated comedy made its dbut in 4,114 American theatres, where it earned an impressive $60.24-million. The bad news was that, despite finishing in second place, the rival comedy starring Adam Sandler, which also debuted this weekend, still managed to earn over $38-million.
As for the box office fortunes of returning cinefantastique:
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL cracked its whip all the way from second to third place, behind the two newcomers. In its third week of release, the adventure-fantasy eanred $22.79-million, raising its total to $253.01-million.
THE STRANGERS ran from third to fifth place, earning $8.94-million in its sophomore session. The two-week total of $37.30-million may be chicken feed by summer standards, but it makes the film one of the most successful horror titles released in 2008.
IRON MAN descended from #4 to #6, earning $7.48-million. The six-week total has reached $288.85-million.
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN reigned in 7th place, down two notches. The $5.66-million weekend raised the four-week total to $125.98-million.
SPEED RACER skidded out of the Top Ten. The CG-heavy racing flick fell well back, all the way from #7 to #14. The weak weekend earnings (less than half a million dollars) left the film with a five-week total of $42.08-million. In other words, Warner Bros $200-million-plus investment has brought them returns that are about to be surpassed by THE STRANGERS, a little low-budget horror movie.
Read the complete Top Ten here.