Friday Report: 'Hangover 2' Howls Again, 'Panda 2' Doesn't Pounce
On Friday, the good times continued to roll for the Wolf Pack: after a raucous Thursday opening, The Hangover Part II devoured another $30 million. Kung Fu Panda 2 didn't bounce back from its ho-hum Thursday start, while Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sprang another leak.

Playing on approximately 6,700 screens at 3,615 locations, The Hangover Part II delivered the top-grossing Friday ever for a live-action comedy, more than doubling Sex and the City 2 on the same day last year, and it eased only five percent from its $31.6 million Thursday opening. That brought the comedy sequel's two-day tally to $61.6 million. The first Hangover had grossed $31.8 million by its two-day (Friday-Saturday) point.

The Hangover Part II will blaze past the $100 million on Sunday, its fourth day of release. The first movie took ten days to hit that mark, which was already an exceptional pace.

With an estimated $13.2 million on close to 7,500 screens at 3,925 locations, Kung Fu Panda 2 leapt 127 percent from its $5.8 million Thursday debut, but fell far short of its predecessor. The first Kung Fu Panda generated $20.3 million on its first day (a Friday), or more than the $19 million that Panda 2 has made in two days. The disparity was greater in terms of estimated attendance: in two days, Panda 2 has sold around three quarters of the tickets that the first movie did in one day.

Panda 2's run included 3D presentations at 2,707 locations, which accounted for around 45 percent of business. Given the scope of its 3D release, a 3D share in the 60 percent range would have been healthy. That's what Shrek Forever After had last May with fewer 3D venues. With a similar 3D release to Panda 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has also been posting 3D shares in the 40 percent range.

The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie sank 69 percent to an estimated $10.9 million on around 9,000 screens at 4,164 locations, lifting its sum to $124.4 million in eight days. The Friday-to-Friday drop was within the range of the last two movies, At World's End and Dead Man's Chest, but the gross was lower. Those movies had captured $186.2 million and $214.6 million, respectively, by day eight. In terms of estimated attendance, On Stranger Tides was down even further on those two movies and trailed the first movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl, as well.

Bridesmaids was unfazed by The Hangover Part II and boasted the smallest Friday-to-Friday drop among nationwide releases (27 percent). With $4.6 million, the comedy's third Friday gross and dip were in the vicinity of Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Bridesmaids' total stands at $73.3 million in 15 days, and its estimated attendance was comparable to Virgin through the same point.

Thor rounded out the Top Five with an estimated $2.4 million, down 45 percent for a $152.8 million sum in 22 days. Fast Five slotted sixth with an estimated $1.8 million and still leads 2011 with a $191.2 million tally in 29 days.

In limited release, Midnight in Paris expanded to 58 locations (up from six last weekend), and its business jumped to a solid estimated $476,000. Meanwhile, The Tree of Life also made waves as far as specialty releases go, claiming an estimated $115,000 at four locations, averaging about as much per location as Midnight in Paris did last Friday.

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Related Charts:

Grosses for Friday, May 27, 2011

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