ENTERTAINMENT

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ roars to an $80 million box office opening

Mar 31, 2024, 4:21 PM | Updated: 4:28 pm

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Godzilla, left, and Kong in a scene from "Godzil...

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Godzilla, left, and Kong in a scene from "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

(Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Godzilla-King Kong combo stomped on expectations as “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” roared to an $80 million opening on 3,861 North American screens, according to Sunday studio estimates.

The monster merger from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures starring Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry brought the second-highest opening in what has been a robust year, falling just short of the the $81.5 million debut of “Dune: Part 2.”

Projections had put the the opening weekend of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which sees the monsters teaming up instead of squaring up, at closer to $50 million.

“It’s a cinematic event, and we’re seeing these iconic characters doing things we’ve never seen them do before,” said Mary Parent, chairman of worldwide production for Legendary. “There’s big swaths of the film that don’t have any dialogue, where we put you with the characters, it’s a very mythic experience.”

Last week’s No. 1 at the box office, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” was second with $15.7 million for a two-week total of $73.4 million.

Dune: Part Two” stayed strong in its fifth week, falling in the third spot with an $11.1 million take and a domestic total of $252.4 million.

The last matchup of the two monsters from Warner Bros. and Legendary, 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong,” had a much smaller opening weekend of $48.5 million, but for a film slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and released simultaneously on HBO Max, it was a serious success that signaled what was to come for the pairing.

“It was a really big number all things considered,” Parent said.

The newer film had the second biggest opening of the studios’ broader MonsterVerse franchise. “Godzilla” brought in $93.2 million in 2014. It was the biggest earner in the nearly 70-year cinematic history of the creature that originated and spent most of its screen life in Japan. It earned more than $200 million in North America and more than $500 million globally.

“Godzilla x Kong” comes just four months after the most recent Japanese rendition, the critical favorite and Oscar winner “Godzilla Minus One.

But there was clearly no Godzilla glut for audiences, many of whom were willing to pay extra for IMAX and other special formats.

“These are literally two of the biggest movie stars in the world, and you have to see them on the biggest screen possible with the biggest sound possible,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore.

The combination of “Godzilla x Kong,” “Dune Part Two” and “Ghostbusters” has put the year to date 6% behind 2023, while it was 20 percent behind on the eve of the March 1 release of “Dune.”

“The industry was feeling pretty glum right before ‘Dune Part 2’ opened, but they’ve made up a lot of ground,” said Dergarabedian.

The summer is full of titles that are not guaranteed megahits but could break big, including Ryan Gosling’s “The Fall Guy” and the next installments of “Planet of the Apes,” “Mad Max,” “Inside Out” and “Deadpool.”

That brings cause for optimism as the theatrical movie business seeks to hang on, though it’s highly unlikely it will surpass 2023, which saw “Barbie” surpass $1 billion globally with its release-date mate “Oppenheimer” not far behind.

“’Barbenheimer’” is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime event,” Dergarabedian said.

Box office results

Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” 80 million.

2. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $15.7 million.

3. “Dune: Part Two,” $11.1 million.

4. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $10.2. million.

5. “Immaculate,” $3.3 million.

6. “Arthur the King,” $2.4 million.

7. “Late Night With the Devil,” $2.2 million.

8. “Tillu Square,” $1.8 million.

9. “Crew,” $1.5 million.

10. “Imaginary,” $1.4 million.

KSL 5 TV Live

Entertainment

Taylor Swift, left, presents the award for best country album to Beyonce for "COWBOY CARTER" during...

Mark Kennedy, AP Entertainment Writer

The Grammys had a few surprises up their sleeves. Here are some key moments from the show

Beyoncé winning the trophy for album of the year was the highlight of the Grammy Awards on Sunday, but there were plenty of other key moments.

4 days ago

FILE: Salt Lake City Police...

Alton Barnhart

SLCPD’s citywide public safety enforcement results in 22 arrests

Citywide enforcement efforts conducted by the Salt Lake City Police Department resulted in the arrests of 22 people.

5 days ago

This image released by the Sundance Institute shows Dylan O'Brien, left, and James Sweeney in a sce...

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

Breakout Sundance films and key takeaways from this year’s festival

As the Sundance Film Festival comes to a close, here are some key takeaways from the 41st edition of the festival.

6 days ago

A two-day sting operation that was coordinated along the Jordan River Trail resulted in 23 arrests ...

Alton Barnhart

23 arrests, 1700+ fentanyl pills seized in operation along Jordan River Trail

A two-day sting operation that was coordinated along the Jordan River Trail resulted in 23 arrests and 1,770 fentanyl pills, according to SLCPD.

7 days ago

The marquee of the Egyptian Theatre is pictured before the start of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival...

Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer

The Sundance Film Festival goes online this week. Here’s how to watch the films

Access to the Sundance Film Festival doesn’t require a trip to Park City, Utah anymore; Just an internet connection.

9 days ago

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift kiss after the AFC Championship NFL foot...

Dave Skretta, AP Sports Writer

Taylor Swift watches boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Chiefs beat the Bills and get back to Super Bowl

Taylor Swift is likely headed to her second straight Super Bowl.

11 days ago

Sponsored Articles

holiday gift basket with blue tissue paper and gingerbread cookies...

Kneaders Bakery & Cafe

Holiday hacks for a stress-free season

Get more out of your time with family and loved ones over the holidays by following these tips for a stress-free season.

2 computer techs in a computer shop holding up a computer server with the "hang loose" sign...

PC Laptops

A comprehensive guide to choosing the right computer

With these tips, choosing the right computer that fits your needs and your budget will be easier than ever.

crowds of people in a German style Christmas market...

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Celebrate Christkindlmarket at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

The Christkindlmarket is an annual holiday celebration influenced by German traditions and generous giving.

Image of pretty woman walking in snowy mountains. Portrait of female wearing warm winter earmuff, r...

Lighting Design

Brighten your mood this winter with these lighting tricks

Read our lighting tips on how to brighten your mood in the winter if you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

A kitchen with a washer and dryer and a refrigerator...

Appliance Man

Appliance Man: a trusted name in Utah’s home appliance industry

Despite many recent closures of local appliance stores, Appliance Man remains Utah's trusted home appliance business and is here to stay.

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ roars to an $80 million box office opening