Universal Pictures is sitting pretty these days.
“Oppenheimer” is about to sweep the Oscars tomorrow. Focus Features’ “The Holdovers” is also looking good for a couple of big awards.
Now this weekend, “Kung Fu Panda 4,” is on top after a $20 million Thursday-Friday opening. Who even knew there was a “Kung Fu Panda 4”? The answer is; mothers and children.
The fourth iteration of this animated series will come close to $40 million for the weekend. Years ago, Universal sent out a Kung Fu Panda Halloween costume that I filed away somewhere. Time to see if it’s worth anything on ebay!
Focus has a bit of a flop on its hands with “Drive Away Dolls,” Ethan Coen’s lesbian road trip film, which has made around $5 million and is almost out of theaters after two weeks. But it’s early in the year, and they likely knew this one was not going to tear it up.
Meantime, A24 held an actual party for “The Zone of Interest” the other night, which is kind of macabre. This is another A24 project with lots of word of mouth but not much box office. Maybe if it wins something on Sunday that will help.
