‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ leads on Super Bowl weekend

Caesar stars George Clooney as a kidnapped A-lister and has a megawatt ensemble including Josh Brolin, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Scarlett Johansson. The picture, which was animated in English and Mandarin, opened to a stellar $58.5 million in China, including early preview screenings. Despite expectations of a No. 2 opening, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies”, bankrolled by Cross Creek Picture and released by Sony’s Screen Gems, eked out a meagre $5.2 million. The way this entire series blends modern CGI animation with old-school flat animation is brilliant, and it continues in “Kung Fu Panda 3” in a couple of flashback sequences. “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” and “The Choice” this weekend as well.

Wix.com, the Tel Aviv-based do-it-yourself website development company, on Wednesday released a commercial it will broadcast during the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 7. However, with the style of the Coens – which is far from general-audience friendly – opening over Super Bowl weekend, Universal must be pleased with this opening.

“It’s one of those weekends that Hollywood braces for but they know how to course correct before it happens”, Dergarabedian said.

Behind “Panda” is the latest from the Coen brothers, “Hail, Caesar!”, which took in $4.3 million Friday from 2,232 locations.

Basically, if you found any enjoyment in the first two “Kung Fu Panda” movies, it is well worth the trip to the theater to see the third installment.

A $10-million debut would put “Hail, Caesar” roughly in line with previous Coen brothers comedies “Intolerable Cruelty” and “The Ladykillers”. “Everyone has something to offer out there”. “Dear John”, for instance, opened on that weekend in 2010, and Jennifer Lopez’s “The Wedding Planner” was released opposite the Big Game in 2001. “It will be a good Super Bowl weekend for the movies”, which will have until 3:30 p.m. PT to fight for first place, after which the Super Bowl kicks off.