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SUNDAY AM: North American box office gross expanded bigger than expected this weekend -- a gargantuan 25% more dollars taken in than the same weekend last year. DreamWorks Animation's feisty pot-bellied Kung Fu Panda distributed by Paramount led the way, fighting to a $60 million finish after opening to $20.3 million Friday and $22.5 million Saturday in very wide release at 4,114 theaters. 
This made the Jack Black-voiced toon Dreamworks Animation's all-time non-sequel opening, overpowering 2004 Shark Tale's $47.6M, and 2005 Madagascar's $47.2M (the latter over Memorial Weekend). The two studios were surprised how much the PG panda pic played like a non-family film. "More like a live action film than a traditional animated film where you normally get a Friday number, then a huge bump on Saturday," a Paramount insider told me. "But our Friday was bigger than we expected because we got more of a general audience. I attribute it to people loving pandas and Jack Black being a big star." Interestingly, exit polls showed that 55% of the audience was female, and 51% over age 25, and 71% age 17 and older.
Best of all, the toon has the next two weekends to itself before Disney/Pixar's Wall-E opens. Kung Fu Panda's success just goes to show that DreamWorks Animations' strategy of making 90-minute toons is shrewd: not only can theaters get in a lot of screenings, but both parents and offspring can sit through anything that short without too much squirming. (Actually, this panda received rave reviews.) Plus, I have a pet theory: almost any animated film featuring characters with fur does better at the box office. Anyway, with great tracking showing big awareness and wanna-see by parents and kids, Kung Fu Panda performed better than expected.
Also exceeding expectations was Adam Sandler's PG-13 You Don't Mess With The Zohan, a Sony picture which Judd Apatow co-wrote under his banner. 
The highly original comedy about an Israeli spy turned NYC hairdresser with kickboxing moves had some really funny ads, though reviews were mostly terrible (only 35% positive among critics on RottenTomatoes.com). But this is Sandler and Apatow, branded together. So audiences responded: evenly split 51% female and 49% male; 51% over 25 years old. Zohan opened with $14.9 million Friday and $14 million Saturday from 3,462 theaters. for a $40M weekend. That's less than 2003's $42.2M Anger Management. But this is why the Sandler gets paid the mega-salary: because time and time again, his star power can open a comedy for a reliable $40M opening, give or take a few bucks. This is Sandler's 5th film to open to $40 Million or more and his 9th title to open north of $30 million (Waterboy, Big Daddy, Click, The Longest Yard, 50 First Dates, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Anger Management, Mr. Deeds). Zohan is one of two near back-to-back laffers which Sandler and Apatow, long roommates before they were famous, are making together. (Photos of movie-goers and ticket-buyers by Jim Stevenson.)
As for the follow-up to last weekend's No. 1 Sex And The City, the HBO Films / New Line / Warner Bros' ultimate chick flick was No. 4, down 63% one week later to $21.3M in expanded 3,325 runs and a new cumulative of $99.2M.
The rest of the Top 10 were holdovers. Here's the chart:
1. Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks Animation/Paramount) -- 3-day Wkd: $60M, Cume: $60M
2. You Don't Mess With The Zohan (Sony) -- 3-day Wkd: $40M, Cume $40M
3. Indiana Jones 4 (Paramount) -- 3-Day Wkd: $22.8M, Cume: $253M
4. Sex And The City (HBO Films/New Line/WB) -- 3-day Wkd: $21.3M, Cume: $99.2M
5. The Strangers (Universal) -- 3-day Wkd $9.2M, Cume: $37.6M
6. Iron Man (Paramount) -- 3-Day Wkd: $7.5M, Cume: $288.8M
7. Chronicles of Narnia 2 (Disney) -- 3-Day Wkd: $5.5M, Cume: $125.8M
8. What Happens In Vegas (Fox) -- 3-Day Wkd: $3.4M, Cume: $72.2M
9. Baby Mama (Universal) -- 3-Day Wkd: $779K, Cume: $57.9M
10. Made Of Honor (Sony) -- 3-Day Wkd: $775K, Cume: $44.6M
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Unsurprising to see KungFu Panda being number 1. Given that, as said by yourself Nikki, any animation featuring fury talking animals is a surefire hit.
Now, I am a fan of animation (Nemo being the fav of all) I can’t help to feel that Dreamworks is cloning its output again and again. Pixar somehow has moved from the talking animals to more complex ones ( Cars, Ratatoulie, WallE..)
I wonder if we will get tired of Dreamworks outputs soon enough. Now with Pixar having to produce 2 movies a year, as part of the merger agreement with Disney, the competition is going to be more stuff.
Having said all that, I caught Kungfu Panda and sure enough, I had a jolly-good time. One thing Dreamworks has yet to fail is to make me laugh out loud till my stomache hurts:-)
I give Kungfu Panda a 50M-ish finish while Sandler will get close to high 35M to low 40Ms.
Time now for Indi 4 to prove that it has legs to finish 3rd with a low margin decline. If it does, then finally we can shut those naysayers about this movie having legs.
I think this will be a fabulous film.And one the kids will love.
I have to admit, though I’m neutral on Adam Sandler’s comedy (he was good on SNL, though many of his movies tend to blow) “Zohan” does look funny.
And I wouldn’t put much credence in what critics have to say in regards to Sandler. Many seem to have this visceral bias against him through which they giddily channel their inner Ambrose Bierce to eviscerate him every time a flick of his comes out.
In fact, I argue that if Sandler did “Borat”, critics would have droned self-righteous indignation about his barrel-scraping humor. But since Sacha Baron Cohen has a certain cachet among those who consider themselves arbiters of cultural taste, they frothed at the mouths in describing the incisive insight of American bigotry and priggishness made by “Borat”.
Then again, in light of the internet age, are critics really important anymore? Many fishwraps don’t seem to think so in light of their layoffs that seem to be metastasizing in other dailies.
“Dreamworks outputs” cloned? Hardly.
They’re all different from each other (with the obvious exception of the sequels). And here in Panda we have an original, topnotch, fresh hit and already somebody says “I wonder if we’re going to get tired of Dreamworks soon enough?” Give them a break! No one will get “tired” as long as the films are good-especially if they’re all as good as “Kung Fu Panda” is.
While I happen to heartily agree with Nikki’s theory about the allure of talking animals, the current production slate at Dreamworks Animation includes a Shrek sequel for next year plus at least 3 other projects that all feature non-furry characters. All four are totally different from one another. And yes, there are some animal films in there too.
And while the kudos for BO perf flow can we mention that “Panda” was handmade by not a screenwriter or execs but by a group of story artists, character designers, production designer and some amazing animators doing their best work yet. Whatever they started with 5-odd years ago as far as a film, like all animated projects this one changed constantly via the story artists reboarding, discovering characters, creating scenes(the kung fu fights adn training were staged by an animator and board artist who happens to be a practitioner rather than some hired expert from outside) and yes, writing dialogue and situations. I hope credit is given where it’s due for this win-because that’s what it’s destined to be, no question. A very cool film.
I’m just curious…
Critics aside… Do you actually believe that there isn’t a difference between Borat and Sandler’s collected output? Or is this just a talking point to support your case? I could understand you preferring Sandler, but I’d hardly say he’s made anything like Borat – for better or worse.
this weekend is like the weekend in 2005 between adam sandler’s the longest yard and ben stiller’s madagascar,but star wars topped the box office once again and madagascar got 2nd place,so i guess kung fu panda will get 65 million and zohan will get 45 million
Has anyone noticed Paramount & Dreamworks are 3 for 3 so far?
Ironman, Indiana and KungFu Panda. Though Ironman is a Marvel output, still it is Paramounts’ for handling the distribution rights. Then there is Dreamworks for KFP.
Emm, anyone wanna bet Paramount NOT winning the Summer’s B.O Crown for 2 years in a row?
….
Comment by been there, animated that — June 7, 2008 @ 9:34 am
Ok ok! I will give it to ya! I wasn’t aware of Dreamworks planning to produce non-furry animaniac talking toons for a change. What I am hoping for is that they will rely less on the humor and more on the quality of the productions, the storyline so to speak. Think Ratatouille and Nemo and you will get the idea.
Let me clarify my “Borat” and Sandler comparison. Suppose Adam Sandler created the character of “Borat” and did the same exact things the character did in the movie. Critics would have lambasted it because of their preconceived notions about Sandler, which of course, are highly negative.
But going into “Borat”, I’m sure critics were well aware of the prestige Cohen holds amongst the “college crowd”. So the critics went along with their elitist “college crowd” brethren and interpreted the movie as a brilliant expose of American stupidity.
And for the record, I detest Cohen and all his characters. Yeah, that’s brilliant comedy: entrapping average, everyday people, who merely have the audacity for trying to be pleasant human beings and viciously making look like idiotic rubes. Of course, it’s comedy gold when said rubes make racist statements.
But the thought and sight of average, everyday people dehumanized engorges the erogenous zones of elitists, so Cohen already has a built-in audience of millions who’ll continue to enrich him for years.
I just saw Kung Fu Panda with my kids and wife and we all loved it. Very fun with entertaining humour and kung fu.
I actually didn’t care for the Shrek series, but I would very much enjoy seeing another movie or two with the KFP charecters. To be honest Im not even excited about the wallE movie so much. Pixar is not always the best animated movie of the year. I liked Ants better then Bugs Life and last summers Ratatoue story was kind of slow.
The story in KFP was good. The only thing I thought we could have used more of was a little more talking from the other “Furious Five” characters, but I guess Po needed to stand out. Maybe we can hear more from them in another movie?
Eight thumbs up.
Minor correction: Zohan isn’t the first film Sandler & Apatow have worked on together. It’s just the first that Apatow received WGA credit for. He was hired for rewrites on both Happy Gilmore and The Wedding Singer.
Call me a prude, but I regret taking my kids to Panda – it was way more intense and violent than I was expecting. That’s what I get for not doing the research.
The kids in my theater were simply loving every minute of PANDA. They were cheering, clapping and laughing.
The movie has a HEART which makes it an awesome and delightful flick that everyone (little kids and big kids alike)will ENJOY.
Congrats to DREAMWORKS ANIMATION for bringing to us this wonderful FAMILY-ORIENTED film.
>>and yes, writing dialogue and situations. I hope credit is given where it’s due for this win-because that’s what it’s destined to be, no question. A very cool film.
EXACTLY why the WGA can go screw themselves when it comes to animation. Artists and cartoonists write and re-write the ’scripts’ these losers hack out for a paycheck to complement their more ‘respectable’ careers, and then take all the credit when the films go stratospheric (or hide when they bomb – easily done for writers working in a animation). Either way, they always get a big fat payday compared to hard-working animation professionals. you wga criminals know who you are. you are engaging in typical scummy hollywood ‘negotiations.’ step up for the artists already and do the ‘write’ thing. and that last attempt to poach from TAG was despicable. give up already, WGA writers caucus.
animation fan: If you knew what the flying-monkey-asses you were talking about, you’d have heard the stories of countless stand-ups and hard-working (often with only one or two credits under their belt) being brought in like a firing squad, getting criminally underpaid to “fix” crappy animation scripts with joke padding, or total rewriting from the ground up – weeks before the bastard goes off to paint. Is your (pitiful, baseless) complaint about Brad Bird? Because he turned Ratatouille from a total piece of studio sh** into one of the best movies of last year.
You’re an animation fan? Interested in really changing the game? Learn the f*cking craft! Learn to make animation that has heart and soul instead of whining on a board about the wrong group of people. Kick some ass in a town that only understands animation when there are animated dollar signs attached. Stop bitching about writers-for-a-day struggling just as hard (or much harder, as I assume the case is) and getting paid just as little or less than most animators. At least the animators brought into projects may have some time or leeway to put their own artistic stamp on material. The writers and comics brought into rewrite these things aren’t paid enough and don’t have the luxury of time to actually take animation scripts under their wing and remake it in their voice. You blame writers for decisions made entirely by studio execs. Blame the studios for letting these projects languish in turnaround or worse for shitting them out as quick as they can, with no regard to quality. It seems Dreamworks is the king of that latter tactic – but Kung-Fu Panda seems like an exception that proves the rule. Pixar is the prime example of the opposite: a studio arm so dedicated to storytelling that they’ll put their full faith in one writer to truly pull a great story out of a decent animation concept.
I understand your anger on behalf of so many folks whose talents and voices remain unlauded and underpaid, but I think you ought to respect that animators are not the only artists in that boat.
By the way (and on another topic), I saw Zohan last weekend – only because I love Robert Smigel. It was perhaps the least offensive Sandler flick (other than Punch-Drunk Love ). Surprisingly funny, and it got most of its most stupid jokes out of the way in the first five minutes. It was just the perfect amount of dumb that I needed. And hey, how many comedies can you point to this year with main characters who make compelling arguments for religious peace and tolerance whilst wearing gigantic codpieces?