'Kung Fu Panda 4' and 'Dune: Part Two' are currently dominating the North American box office, maintaining their lead over Lionsgate's latest release, 'Arthur the King,' which opened to $3 million from 3,003 locations. The Mark Wahlberg-led drama is anticipated to earn less than $8 million over the weekend, securing the third spot on the domestic charts. Despite mixed reviews, the film has received a commendable 'A' grade from Cinema Score, indicating positive audience reception.
'Arthur the King' is based on the true story of a mountain climber who embarks on a 435-mile journey through the Dominican Republic with a stray dog by his side. Starring Wahlberg alongside Simu Liu, Juliet Rylance, and Nathalie Emmanuel, the film aims to replicate the success of 'Dog,' which opened to $14 million earlier this year and went on to gross $61 million.
In a close competition for the top spot, Universal's 'Kung Fu Panda 4' is expected to outperform 'Dune: Part Two' with a projected second-weekend gross of $7.7 million, marking a modest 46% decline from its impressive opening figures. The DreamWorks Animation sequel is on track to surpass $100 million domestically, showcasing the enduring popularity of the franchise.
Meanwhile, 'Dune: Part Two' from Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment is set to secure the second position with an estimated $8.1 million in its second weekend, maintaining strong momentum driven by positive word-of-mouth and premium large-format screenings. The sci-fi epic is on course to reach $200 million in domestic earnings by the end of the weekend.
Lionsgate's horror film 'Imaginary' is anticipated to remain in the top five, despite a 53% drop from its opening day figures. With a production budget of $10 million, the movie is expected to cross the $20 million mark in domestic box office receipts.
Angel Studios' 'Cabrini' is projected to round out the top five with an expected weekend gross of $2.95 million, bringing its total earnings to $13.1 million. On the other hand, two arthouse releases, 'Love Lies Bleeding' and 'The American Society of Magical Negroes,' are seeing mixed results at the box office, with the former faring better than the latter in terms of projected earnings.
