‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Performs Easter Miracle

With “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.), March came in like a lion. With “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” (also Warner Bros.), March is going out, well, as a lion. Leave the lamb for Easter dinner.

With an estimated $80 million (actual totals may be higher), Legendary Entertainment’s second big franchise sequel this month falls just shy of the $82 million debut for “Dune 2.” Warner Bros. now looks near certain to have three $200 million and over films since December — the only distributor to achieve that since July.

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This could be the best weekend of the year so far, with a tentative estimate of $136.4 million. That includes four films over $10 million, the first time that’s happened this year. All told, this boosted the 2024 year to date; we’re now down by only six percent.

With “Godzilla x Kong,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal) and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (Sony) all opening over $40 million, it challenges the growing consensus that sequels were on the downslide.

Instead, March will close around $750 million — bigger than any month (including December) since August, when originals “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were still in their early weeks.

This weekend was boosted by Friday that was a holiday for some, as well as Easter Sunday. Still, no one expected the latest Monsterverse entry to come close to $80 million; estimates were less than $60 million, which would have been a considered decent return.

With a Cinemascore of A-, audiences clearly seemed satisfied (as opposed to critics, with a lowly 47 Metacritic score). Apart from the holiday boost, it’s hard to explain this performance — but two factors may have helped.

Coming after several weeks of successful sequels, resistance may have been lower (and trailer play, particularly with “Dune 2,” was a plus). However, the domestic success of the Japanese film “Godzilla Minus One” (Toho), which won an Oscar for Visual Effect and grossed an unexpected $56 million domestic, might have boosted interest in the franchise. (That film has been unavailable on any platform for two months).

Initial success for “Godzilla” is worldwide, with an additional $114 million foreign. That includes $44 million from China, a rare recent success for a Hollywood release. Even better news for Warners and Legendary is the film’s production budget was $135 million, making it far easier to achieve a sizeable profit.

More good news for Warners and Legendary is “Dune” dropped only 37 percent, which is particularly impressive since “Godzilla” claimed most premium, higher-priced screens. Denis Villeneuve’s film is now at $252 million, with a domestic $300 million (and worldwide $750 million) possible.

“Panda” at #4 dropped 38 percent and is now over $151 million, potentially reaching $200 million as well. However, “Frozen Empire” dropped 65 percent in its second weekend, reaching $73 million after 10 days. It might not end up much over $100 million.

The rest of the Top 10 is an eclectic mix of indie horror, India, and Lionsgate. Neon’s “Immaculate,” at #5, is off 39 percent with nearly $3.3 million. “Late Night with the Devil” (IFC), is #7 with $2.2 million, down 22 percent. Compared to most horror films, both held extremely well in their second weeks. Two new worldwide Indian releases — “Tillu Square” (Prathyangira) and “Crew” (FunAsia) placed on the list, as well as “Arthur the King” and “Imaginary” (Lionsgate).

Three new openings stood out among platform titles. Despite mixed reviews, “Wicked Little Letters” (Sony Pictures Classics) managed $87,000 ($17,400 per theater) in five locations. Alice Rohrwacher’s acclaimed “La Chimera” (Neon) grossed $45,000 in three. And a single run of Jean-Pierre Melville’s great gangster film “Le Samourai” in New York did $15,000.

Among wider expansions, South Korea’s “Exhuma” grossed $400,000 in 75 theaters. Of note: “Oppenheimer” finally opened in Japan, and at $2.6 million had the best studio opening in that country this year. (“Godzilla” won’t open until late April.)

The Top 10

1. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Sony) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 47; Est. budget: $135 million

$80,000,000 in 3,861 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $20,720; Cumulative: $80,000,000

2. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #1

$15,700,000 (-65%) in 4,345 (no change) theaters; PTA: $3,613; Cumulative: $73,401,000

3. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) Week 5; Last weekend #2

$11,100,000 (-37%) in 3,136 (-301) theaters; PTA: $3,540; Cumulative: $252,390,000

4. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) Week 4; Last weekend #3

$10,200,000 (-38%) in 3,582 (-223) theaters; PTA: $2,848; Cumulative: $151,650,000

5. Immaculate (Neon) Week 2; Last weekend #4

$3,265,000 (-39%) in 2,362 (+8) theaters; PTA: $1,383; Cumulative: $11,128,000

6. Arthur the King (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend #54;

$2,400,000 (-44%) in 2,525 (-478) theaters; PTA: $950; Cumulative: $19,066,000

7. Late Night with the Devil (IFC) Week 2; Last weekend #6

$2,206,000 (-22%) in 1,442 (+408) theaters; PTA: $1,530; Cumulative: $6,294,000

8. Tillu Square (Prathyangira) NEW – Est. budget: $28 million

$1,836,000 in 450 theaters; PTA: $4,080; Cumulative: $1,836,000

9. Crew (FunAsia) NEW – Est. budget: $24 million

$1,700,000 in 486 theaters; PTA: $3,498; Cumulative: $1,700,000

10. Imaginary (Lionsgate) Week 4; Last weekend #7

$1,400,000 (-50%) in 1,956 (-557) theaters; PTA: $716; Cumulative: $26,235,000

Other specialized titles

Films (limited, expansions of limited, as well as awards-oriented releases) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed. Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded.

Wicked Little Letters (Sony Pictures Classics) NEW – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include: Toronto 2023

$87,000 in 5 theaters; PTA: $17,400

La Chimera (Neon) NEW – Metacritic: 89; Festivals include: Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, New York 2023

$45,037 in 3 theaters; PTA: $15,012

In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Goldwyn) NEW – Metacritic: 59; Festivals include: Venice 2023

$1,056,000 in 896 theaters; PTA: $1,179

Asphalt City (Roadhouse) NEW – Metacritic: 47; Festivals include: Cannes 2023

$130,600 in 298 theaters; PTA: $438

Le Samourai (Janus) NEW (Reissue)

$15,788 in 1 theater; PTA: $15,788

Carol Doda Topless at the Condor (Picturehouse) Week 2

$31,438 in 24 (+20) theaters; PTA: $1,310; Cumulative: $72,650

Femme (Utopia) Week 2

$24,030 in 4 (+3) theaters; PTA: $6,008; Cumulative: $45,795

Limbo (Music Box) Week 2

$7,611 in 7 (+5) theaters; PTA: $1,087; Cumulative: $18,305

Exhuma (WellGo USA) Week 3

$(est.) 400,000 in 75 (+8) theaters; PTA: $5,333; Cumulative: $1,354,000

One Life (Bleecker Street) Week 3

$474,410 in 578 (-431) theaters; Cumulative: $4,521,000

The American Society of Magical Negroes (Focus) Week 3

$54,000 in 152 (-1,001) theaters; Cumulative: $2,449,000

Love Lies Bleeding (A24) Week 4

$642,734 in 858 (-970) theaters; Cumulative: $7,190,000

Cabrini (Angel) Week 4

$1,038,000 in 1,345 (-420) theaters; Cumulative: $18,142,000

YOLO (Sony) Week 4

$62,000 in 71 (no change) theaters; Cumulative: $1,881,000

Problemista (A24) Week 5

$366,803 in 379 (+142) theaters; Cumulative: $1,900,000

Ennio (Music Box) Week 8

$13,091 in 20 (+17) theaters; Cumulative: $50,269

The Taste of Things (IFC) Week 8

$25,569 in 41 (-29) theaters; Cumulative: $2,630,000

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