In the strongest sign yet that there still may be life in the theatrical exhibition model post-pandemic, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse crossover Godzilla vs. Kong opened across 38 international markets this past weekend, grossing an impressive $121.8 million in the process.
The movie earned $70.3 million from China alone, where cinema business has been booming recently despite some theaters still operating at a reduced capacity. Just last month, the local title Detective Chinatown 3 debuted to $398 million, toppling Avengers: Endgame for the biggest opening weekend in a single market.
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Not only has Godzilla vs. Kong given a Hollywood studio its best debut since cinemas began reopening following the coronavirus lockdowns, but it is also outperforming Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters in most markets. It’s North American gross will take a hit however due to its simultaneous HBO Max release, and so it remains to be seen whether it can match the overall totals of its predecessors – the lowest-grossing of which is King of the Monsters on $386.6 million.
Legends collide in “Godzilla vs. Kong” as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans—instigated by unseen forces—is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.
Godzilla vs. Kong is directed by Adam Wingard (The Guest, Blair Witch) and sees Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Kyle Chandler (Bloodline) and Ziyi Zhang (The Cloverfield Paradox) reprising their roles from Godzilla: King of the Monsters, while new additions to the MonsterVerse include Alexander Skarsgard (Big Little Lies), Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta), Demian Bichir (The Hateful Eight), Rebecca Hall (Holmes and Watson), Jessica Henwick (Iron Fist), Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Shun Oguri (Crows Zero), Lance Reddick (The Wire) and Kaylee Hottle.
