In a battle for the box office, "Kung Fu Panda 4" and "Dune: Part Two" are holding strong in North American theaters, surpassing Lionsgate's new drama "Arthur the King." The latter film, based on a true story about a dog, earned $3 million on its opening day from 3,003 locations.

Despite earning a modest amount, "Arthur the King" is projected to earn less than $8 million over the weekend, likely placing it at the third position on the domestic charts. The drama, with its impressive "A" grade from Cinema Score, carries a production budget of close to $20 million. However, reviews for the film have been mixed.

Lionsgate will be hoping that "Arthur the King" can resonate with audiences, following the success of Channing Tatum's "Dog," which opened to $14 million in February 2022 and went on to accumulate a total of $61 million. The film is based on the nonfiction book "Arthur - The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home" and stars Mark Wahlberg as a mountain climber embarking on a 435-mile journey through the Dominican Republic alongside a stray dog. Joining Wahlberg in the cast are Simu Liu, Juliet Rylance, and Nathalie Emmanuel, with Simon Cellan Jones directing.

Meanwhile, Universal's "Kung Fu Panda 4" is expected to edge out "Dune: Part Two" in a close race for first place. The DreamWorks Animation production is projected to gross approximately $31.5 million in its second weekend, showing a modest 46% drop from its impressive $57.9 million opening. The film is on track to surpass $100 million domestically, solidifying its position as the second title of the year to achieve this milestone. With an $85 million production budget, the fourth installment in the franchise is performing exceptionally well.

Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment's "Dune: Part Two" is likely to maintain its position in second place after earning $8.1 million on Friday, experiencing only a 33% drop from the previous week. The sci-fi epic directed by Denis Villeneuve has been a major success, generating strong word-of-mouth and attracting audiences to premium large-format screenings. "Dune: Part Two" is set to cross the $200 million mark domestically by the end of the weekend, solidifying its position as the highest-grossing film of the year.

In the horror genre, Lionsgate's "Imaginary" is expected to remain in the top five despite a 53% drop from its $3.6 million opening day last weekend. The Blumhouse production, with a modest $10 million production budget, is projected to surpass $20 million domestically in the coming week.

Closing out the top five is Angel Studios' "Cabrini," projected to earn $2.95 million this weekend for a total of $13.1 million. Although it may not replicate the success of "Sound of Freedom," which experienced a 38% increase in its sophomore outing, "Cabrini" is likely to recoup its higher production budget.

On a different note, two arthouse films are struggling at the box office. A24's lesbian crime thriller "Love Lies Bleeding" is expected to earn $2.5 million this weekend, while Focus Features' "The American Society of Magical Negroes" is faring poorly, with earnings just above $1 million.

The weekend box office battle continues, with strong performances from established franchises and a few surprises along the way. Moviegoers can expect intense competition and surprises in the coming weeks as new releases vie for audience attention and box office success.