Box Office Update: Dune 2 and Kung Fu Panda 4 is a dead-heat battle for number 1

Last Updated on March 19, 2024

In this week’s Box Office Predictions column, I went against the grain of what box office gurus were predicting. They seemed to think Kung Fu Panda 4 would have an easy win over Dune: Part Two, but I had a feeling audiences were really starting to love Villeneuve’s film, with some returning to see it a second or third time. Thus, I predicted Dune 2 would return to first place. While it’s too early for me to brag about being right, it seems both movies are in a dead-heat battle for number 1. 

According to Deadline’s early numbers, the final tally for both is too close to call, with Kung Fu Panda 4 and Dune 2 heading towards a $27-30 million weekend finish. Panda is looking to dip somewhere in the area of 48% in its second weekend, while Dune is only dropping 35% in its third weekend. Villeneuve’s movie has become the first film of 2024 to cross $200 million at the domestic box office and with the numbers holding up so well, a finish near $300 million isn’t out of the question.

As expected, the Mark Wahlberg vehicle Arthur the King (which our critic noted felt like a streaming movie) is looking at a weekend finish of under $8 million, which is low for a Walhberg movie. That’s only slightly better than Wahlberg’s controversial, R-rated faith-based movie, Father Stu. Meanwhile, Blumhouse’s Imaginary is sinking like a stone, with it on track for a second weekend in the $4 million range (for more on our problem with Blumhouse – check out this column). The Christian film Cabrini seems to be having a steeper drop than expected, with it likely only to make $2.6 million. Meanwhile, A24’s Love Lies Bleeding is having a disappointing weekend, with it on track for only $2.3 million in a semi-wide break. That’s too bad, as it’s a bit of a gem.

What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments!