In a cinematic duel of titans, Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” stormed to dominance at the American box office, far above earlier forecasts. A different W.B. and legendary blockbuster, “Dune: Part Two,” set the record for opening weekend box office with $82 million just a month prior. Its first-weekend gross of an estimated $80 million over three days fell just short of that figure. The unexpected spike in walk-in viewers greatly boosted the performance of “Godzilla x Kong,” which was originally predicted to gross roughly $50 million when it debuted.
Adam Wingard’s “Godzilla x Kong” is the next episode in the MonsterVerse franchise, which began a decade ago with Gareth Edwards’ “Godzilla.” While the original “Godzilla,” which debuted at $93 million, is the franchise’s highest opening, “Godzilla x Kong” is the second-best, demonstrating the lasting popularity of these famous animals. Wingard’s last film, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” grossed more than $470 million globally despite being released during the peak of the pandemic in 2021, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the monster mash-up genre.
In North America, “Godzilla x Kong” earned $80.0 million in its premiere, including a healthy $10.0 million from Thursday previews. These numbers represent a significant increase over the previous installment of the franchise, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which debuted in March 2021 with $31.6 million over three days and $48.1 million over five days during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing.
Internationally, “Godzilla x Kong” launched with $115.1 million, following only the $123.1 million opening of “Godzilla vs. Kong.”. However, the new picture beat its predecessor in several markets, including Europe, where cinemas saw extended closures in the spring of 2021. Notably, in like-for-like international markets, “Godzilla x Kong” is 6% ahead of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” with an incredible 338% rise in European markets. While “Godzilla x Kong” opened in China with $44.0 million, it fell short of “Godzilla vs. Kong’s” $69.2 million premiere, demonstrating a shift in the dynamics of Hollywood releases in China.
Warner Bros. and Legendary carefully controlled the budget for “Godzilla x Kong,” keeping it around $135 million and making it the most cost-effective feature in the MonsterVerse. Despite its limited budget, the picture has garnered mixed critical reviews, with a “rotten” 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, audience reactions have been very good, with a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A- CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Critics, like Collider’s Ross Bonaime, have praised the film’s unapologetic embrace of silliness, acknowledging it as both a strength and a weakness in the MonsterVerse.
As “Godzilla x Kong” reigns dominant at the box office, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” falls to second place during its opening weekend. With an expected $15 million in its second weekend, the film’s domestic total has reached $73 million in just over ten days. However, with a significant 65% drop from its first weekend, the likelihood of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” hitting the $100 million milestone
Domestic prospects are modest, much alone matching the $130 million lifetime profits of its franchise forerunners.
Meanwhile, “Dune: Part Two” takes third place, adding a little more than $13 million to its fifth-weekend total, hitting the $250 million mark domestically. Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” follows behind, making an anticipated $10 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its total to more than $150 million. Neon’s horror film “Immaculate” closes out the top five, earning $3 million in its second weekend and surpassing the $10 million mark domestically.
The top ten also includes two Indian films, “Tillu Squared” and “Crew,” as well as holdovers like “Arthur the King,” “Late Night with the Devil,” and “Cabrini.” As the film business evolves, keep an eye on Collider for more information on box office performance and industry trends.
