The Big Picture
- Kung Fu Panda 4 continues to dominate the box office, surpassing $500 million globally after 52 days in theaters.
- Despite being the lowest-grossing in the series, Kung Fu Panda 4 has outperformed other recent animated hits in the post-pandemic era.
- The film, produced on a reported budget of $85 million, faced mixed reviews but successfully fended off rumors of a troubled production.
As has become the norm in the post-pandemic era, animated movies tend to pass the baton to each other at the box office. A film usually slows down only when a new one is available to take its place, and it looks like Universal’s Kung Fu Panda 4 will hold the fort till Sony’s The Garfield Movie debuts later in May. This weekend, Kung Fu Panda 4 added $3.5 million domestically and another $11 million from overseas markets, for a combined total of around $15 million. This was enough to push it past the $500 million mark globally after 52 days in theaters.
With $183 million domestically and another $318 million from overseas territories, Kung Fu Panda 4 has grossed a cumulative total of $503 million worldwide. It’s now the fourth-biggest animated hit of the post-pandemic era, behind only The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which made $1.3 billion worldwide; Minions: The Rise of Gru, which grossed $940 million globally; and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which concluded its run with $690 million globally. Kung Fu Panda 4 has now overtaken fellow DreamWorks release Puss in Boots: The Last Wish ($485 million worldwide), and Pixar’s Elemental ($496 million worldwide).
Despite this, it remains the lowest-grossing installment of the Kung Fu Panda film series, which began in 2008 with the first Kung Fu Panda movie. The runaway hit concluded its global run with $630 million. In 2011, Kung Fu Panda 2 grossed $660 million worldwide, while 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 ended its run with $520 million worldwide. Kung Fu Panda 4 will likely overtake the third film in the coming days, having already overtaken it domestically. Kung Fu Panda 4 has also out-performed the second film at the domestic box office, and trails only the first Kung Fu Panda’s $215 million lifetime domestic haul.
The 'Kung Fu Panda' Series Has Grossed a Combined Total of $2.3 Billion Worldwide
Unlike its predecessors, which were all produced on budgets reportedly ranging from $130 million and $150 million, Kung Fu Panda 4 is said to have cost $85 million, which is in line with what studios have been spending on animated films in the post-pandemic era. Recent releases such as Trolls Band Together, Migration, Puss in Boots 2, and even Super Mario Bros. were all produced on budgets not exceeding $100 million. Reviews, however, have been disappointing, especially when compared to previous Kung Fu Panda films. Directed by Mike Mitchell, Kung Fu Panda 4 has a 72% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, while each previous installment scored between 81% and 87%.
The film also fended off rumors of a troubled production, as the franchise gears up for a new era that will reportedly include two further follow-ups. Featuring the voice talents of Jack Black, Awkwafina, Bryan Cranston, Ke Huy Quan, and Viola Davis, Kung Fu Panda 4 is available to watch at home and in theaters. Grab tickets below, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Kung Fu Panda 4
After Po is tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he needs to find and train a new Dragon Warrior, while a wicked sorceress plans to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm.
- Release Date
- March 8, 2024
- Director
- Mike Mitchell , Stephanie Stine
- Cast
- Jack Black , Viola Davis , Awkwafina , Dustin Hoffman , Ke Huy Quan , James Hong , Bryan Cranston , Ian McShane
- Runtime
- 94 minutes
- Writers
- Jonathan Aibel , Glenn Berger