Though its competition boasted the appeal of Chris Hemsworth, Emily Blunt and Charlize Theron, The Jungle Book easily won the US box office crown for a second week in a row, adding $60.8 million to its coffers, according to studio estimates.
Jon Favreau's CG-heavy re-imagining of the Rudyard Kipling story and the Disney 'toon version remained popular with families, and has now soared to more than $191 million in the States alone. Worldwide, the film has taken in more than $528 million, making this another big hit for Disney's live-action team. No wonder there are already early discussions underway for a sequel before Warner Bros. can even get its own first Jungle Book: Origins out there.
There was a much chillier reception for pre-sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War, which faced an ice wall of critical negativity and seemingly mild interest from audiences. Though it got a head start elsewhere in the world, domestically the movie performed below expectations and behind the release of 2012's Snow White And The Huntsman, which opened to $56.2 million. It likely wasn't helped by confusing trailers and a story structure that weaves a tale before, during and after the original. Worldwide, the movie has made a little over $100 million, and will need to hang on if it has any chance to making a profit on its $115 million budget alone.
For the next few places, the chart looks fairly similar to last week. Barbershop: The Next Cut fell to third with $10.8 million, while Zootopia actually jumped up a place to fourth with $6.6 million and a healthy $316.4 million US total to date. In fifth place we find Melissa McCarthy's The Boss, which made $6 million this weekend and has earned $49.5 million thus far in the States.
Sixth was Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, taking in $5.5 million. Mind-swap Kevin Costner thriller Criminal slipped one place to seventh and $3.1 million, while My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 also fell a slot to eighth on $2.1 million.
Mexican action comedy Compadres arrived ninth, taking in $1.3 million, while drone thriller Eye In The Sky once again hovered at 10th like a flying weapon lurking over a terrorist hideout, adding $1.2 million for a $14.9 million US total so far.