HOLLYWOOD - “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” rules over the domestic box office this week and arrived on the higher end of expectations.

The latest installment in the supernatural comedy series collected $45.2 million in its debut.

Still, those domestic ticket sales are just barely ahead of its 2021 predecessor, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which earned $44 million to start while the box office was deep in pandemic recovery mode. Variety reasoned it’s a sign that the 30-year-old franchise hasn’t expanded its constituency beyond the original (and aging) core fans of the business of busting ghosts.

Another new release, Sydney Sweeney’s religious horror film “Immaculate,” opened in fourth place.

Elsewhere, “Dune: Part Two” remained in the No. 2 spot. After two weeks at No. 1, “Kung Fu Panda 4” dropped to third place.

Mark Wahlberg’s canine drama “Arthur the King” rounded out the top five.

Story Date: March 29, 2024