Creature feature collects cash!
Big monsters translated to big business at the box office this weekend as the epic altercation GODZILLA VS. KONG opened in first place with an estimated $32.2 million!
The clash of colossal creatures has a five-day domestic total of $48.5 million since the combatants first began brawling in North American theaters on Wednesday March 31st.
Unsurprisingly (and appropriately for such gargantuan stars), the new PG-13 "MonsterVerse" release had the strongest opening of the pandemic. It marks the biggest weekend figure since the Pixar fantasy adventure ONWARD started with $40 million in March 2020, just a week before everything in the U.S. closed down.
The oversized icons already started their spectacular feud on international screens last weekend, knocking an extra $236.9 million out of overseas audiences so far to give it a current worldwide total of $285.4 million.
Directed by Adam Wingard (YOU'RE NEXT, THE GUEST) and featuring humans Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry, the massive smackdown of famous beasts reportedly cost as much as $200 million.
The Warner Bros. sequel to both GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS and KONG: SKULL ISLAND also simultaneously made its debut on the studio's HBO Max streaming service last Wednesday.
Critics seemed fairly satisfied with the kaiju conflict, giving the movie a 76% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 60 on Metacritic. Take a big swing at the JoBlo review HERE.
Just in time for Easter weekend was the new supernatural horror movie THE UNHOLY, opening in second place with $3.2 million.
Produced by Sam Raimi, the thriller (adapted from James Herbert's novel "Shrine") involves a hearing-impaired girl who can perform miracles after a supposed visit by the Virgin Mary, but more sinister forces may be at work (as that picture would seem to indicate).
The PG-13 Sony release is the directing debut of screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos (of the 2017 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST remake and the upcoming G.I.JOE: SNAKE EYES) and features Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Cary Elwes and William Sadler.
Critics apparently didn't get many chills and thrills from the mystery, giving the movie an average of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 36.
Moving to third place this week was the R-rated action movie NOBODY with $3.07 million, shot down by 55% from its opening on top last weekend.
Universal's bloody JOHN WICK-style thriller with "Better Call Saul" star Bob Odenkirk has a ten-day domestic total of $11.8 million, and a worldwide total of $21 million.
In fourth place was Disney's animated adventure RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON with $2.05 million on its fifth weekend in theaters (and on Disney+ for an additional fee). The PG-rated fantasy now has a domestic total of $32.1 million and a worldwide total of $94.2 million.
The Warner Bros. half-cartoon comedy TOM & JERRY was in fifth place with $1.4 million. After six weekends, the PG-rated live-action/animated hybrid (no longer available on the HBO Max streaming platform) has a domestic total of $39.5 million and $93.5 million worldwide, on a reported $79 million cost.
In sixth place was the new faith-based Mira Sorvino drama THE GIRL WHO BELIEVES IN MIRACLES with $526,000 in 640 theaters. The Benedict Cumberbatch spy thriller THE COURIER followed in seventh place.
The Tom Holland/Daisy Ridley sci-fi thriller CHAOS WALKING was in eighth place with $380,000 on its fifth weekend as it also just became available via premium VOD. Animated sequel THE CROODS: A NEW AGE was in ninth (over its 19th weekend), with the Michelle Pfeiffer comedy-drama FRENCH EXIT closing up the list.
Departing the chart was the Liam Neeson action-thriller THE MARKSMAN, the R-rated basketball drama BOOGIE the Oscar-nominated drama MINARI and the superhero sequel WONDER WOMAN 1984.
Next weekend offers the chance to travel into space with the sci-fi thriller VOYAGERS, from LIMITLESS director Neil Burger.
What is your favorite "giant monster" movie? VOTE HERE!
| # | MOVIE TITLE | WKND $ | TOTAL $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Godzilla vs. Kong | $32.2 M | $48.5 M |
| 2 | Unholy, The | $3.2 M | NEW |
| 3 | Nobody | $3.07 M | $11.8 M |
| 4 | Raya and the Last Dragon | $2.05 M | $32.1 M |
| 5 | Tom & Jerry | $1.4 M | $39.5 M |
| 6 | The Girl Who Believes in Miracles | $526 k | NEW |
| 7 | The Courier | $452 k | $4.2 M |
| 8 | Chaos Walking | $380 k | $12.2 M |
| 9 | The Croods: A New Age | $210 k | $56.3 M |
| 10 | French Exit | $193 k | $200 k |