DreamWorks Animation's Latest Film Achieves Highest Opening of the Year

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

▲ A scene from the film “Kung Fu Panda 4” / Courtesy of Universal Pictures

DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 4" debuted at the top of the local box office on Wednesday, surpassing the long-standing dominance of horror film "Exhuma." 

The latest installment in the hit animation franchise sold approximately 429,000 tickets and grossed 3.97 billion won ($2.91 million) on its opening day, setting a new record for the highest opening score of the year. 

Directed by Mike Mitchell, the comedy action film follows the adventures of giant panda Po, voiced by Jack Black, as he trains new warriors and faces off against the shape-shifting sorcerer, The Chameleon, voiced by Viola Davis.

"Kung Fu Panda 4" also achieved the highest opening in the history of the film series, surpassing its predecessors' opening day ticket sales. 

▲ A scene from the film "Exhuma" / Courtesy of Showbox

Meanwhile, "Exhuma," which had dominated the box office for seven weeks, took the second spot with significantly fewer ticket sales on Wednesday, grossing 702 million won. Director Jang Jae-hyun's mystery occult film has become the biggest hit of the year in South Korea and has gained popularity overseas, particularly in Vietnam. Japanese romance film "The Last 10 Years" ranked third at the box office, surpassing the crime film "Troll Factory."

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Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com