Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has ended Avatar: The Way of Water’s seven-week run at the top of the UK box office.
The animated sequel took £5m over its opening weekend well ahead of Avatar’s £1.3m total. The opening weekend of Puss in Boots was more than double that of the first film released in 2011 and nominated for an Oscar.
Read more: Puss In Boots director responds to Eddie Murphy dig
M Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin debuted at number three, grossing just under £1m while Bollywood hit Pathaan continued to do well at number four on its way to becoming the UK’s most successful Indian film of all time .
The action film stars Shah Rukh Khan and became the first Indian film to gross £3m at the UK box office.
Gerard Butler’s Plane reached the top five in its second week of release. The well-received actor has grossed over £2m in the UK.
Starring Antonio Banderas as the titular cat, The Last Wish sees Puss in Boots lose eight of his nine lives and attempt to restore them by finding a star.
Salma Hayek Pinault also plays Kitty Softpaws and Florence Pugh plays Goldilocks with Olivia Colman and Ray Winstone with Mama and Papa Bear.
It is the first film in the Shrek universe since the first Puss in Boots film over ten years ago.
Eddie Murphy recently said he would be open to a new Shrek movie or a spin-off based on his Donkey character.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Murphy said: “ I love Donkey.”
Read more: The best and worst movie spinoffs
He also seemed to take a shot at Puss in Boots: “You know, they did the Puss in Boots movies. I was like, ‘They should have made a Donkey movie. Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots.’ I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he’s not as funny as Donkey.”
Responding to Murphy, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish director Joel Crawford told Yahoo: “Oh, classic ass.”
“It’s so funny because that’s so in character for Donkey and Puss In Boots.
“The two of them are always going after each other because of what Shrek respects.”
Watch: Joel Crawford talks to Yahoo about Eddie Murphy’s ass-digging