OPENINGS: GODZILLA VS KONG (Warners, also on HBO Max) had the biggest US theatrical debut since the onset of pandemic closings with $48.5M over 5 days ($32.2M for the 3-day weekend). It will clearly roar past Tenet‘s $57.9M to become the highest-grossing title in over a year, and could pass $100M in the US. It also has $236.9M overseas after a $76.1M weekend ($44.2M of that from China), and should beat Tenet‘s $305.2M international total. The only potentially discordant notes for theatre owners were that they won’t be able to build moviegoer momentum with no similarly high-profile release scheduled until A Quiet Place Part II on May 28, and also that the monster movie’s simultaneous success in theatres and on HBO Max (where as usual no numbers were released, but Warners announced that it was the most-watched piece of programming since the service launched last May) may validate the day-and-date release approach they dread.
The low budget horror movie THE UNHOLY (Screen Gems/Sony) launched with a dull $3.2M, and hasn’t yet opened overseas.
There was a barely-wide release for the Christian-themed THE GIRL WHO BELIEVED IN MIRACLES (Atlas) at 640 theatres, where it earned under $600K, a number that assumes a strong Easter Sunday hold.
After some film festival exposure in 2020 and a token awards-qualification run in theatres, FRENCH EXIT (Sony Classics) began its official limited run in 483 locations and couldn’t crack $200K.
HOLDOVERS: The adage that “a rising tide lifts all boats” didn’t apply this weekend, as most films in release were decimated by the arrival of Godzilla vs. Kong. NOBODY (Universal) fell 55% to $3.1M from last week’s opening and will hope to get past $20M in the US by the time its VOD window begins in 2 weeks. It also has $9.2M overseas.
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (Disney, also VOD on Disney+) dropped 45% to $2.1M in its 5th weekend as it heads to $40M in the US. Its international total is $54.2M.
TOM & JERRY (Warners) lost 44% to $1.4M in its 6th weekend, and might see $45M in the US, with $54M to date overseas.
THE COURIER (Roadside) crashed by 57% to $450K, and probably won’t get past $6M in the US. It’s under $900K overseas.
NEXT WEEKEND: The sci-fi entry VOYAGERS (Lionsgate) is the only scheduled wide release.
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