‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ leads on Super Bowl weekend

This weekend’s three new releases failed to make much of an impression over Super Bowl weekend, clearing the way for Kung Fu Panda 3 to once again top the box office with an estimated $21 million and a domestic total of $69.1 million. For the second weekend in a row, DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 3” easily topped box office charts. “Hail Caesar” came in second at the box office according to Variety magazine, scoring $11.4 million in theaters in the US and Canada while “The Revenant” starring Leonardo DiCaprio came in third at $7.1 million. Also up for release this weekend is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a mashup I had high hopes for, but that didn’t carry the sizzle or style needed to break through to the youth culture (also, PG-13 zombie films should be banned). Starring Josh Brolin as a studio fixer in the classic Hollywood era and featuring George Clooney and Channing Tatum as “50s stars, “Hail, Caesar!” is the Coens’ most broad comedy since their 2008 “Burn After Reading“. 4 million in North American theaters for Universal Pictures. According to BoxOffice.com, it has been seven years since a Super Bowl weekend opener hit $10 million without directly appealing to Teen/YA audiences.

“It’s all about timing and Kung Fu Panda took advantage of that opening last weekend, with very few options for families at the multiplex in 2016, as far as something brand new”, comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian says.

“The Choice“, for example, is positioning itself as an alternative for women who don’t like football, and Dergarabedian says that you will often see romantic movies counter-programmed on Super Bowl weekends.

Holdovers The Revenant and Star Wars: The Force Awakens continued to astound, landing in third and fourth place, respectively.

Also of note: After bouncing between directors, stars and studios, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies“, financed by Cross Creek Pictures for $28 million and distributed by Sony, became the latest genre mash-up to flop, taking in $5.2 million. Force Awakens, meanwhile, brought in an additional $6.9 million for a record-breaking $906 million total in North America and more than $2 billion worldwide.

Final numbers are expected Monday.