Weekend Box Office Report: Godzilla stomps into first!

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Godzilla is king of the box office!

The world's most recognizable reptilian titan lumbered back to theaters this weekend and put GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS on top at the box office with an estimated opening of $49 million!

The latest appearance by the big green god of destruction didn't make a strong connection with crowds compared to his 2014 arrival in GODZILLA, which started with $93 million (before trampling to $200 million domestic and $529 million worldwide).

Godzilla's grand-scale brawl with iconic goliaths such as Rodan and King Gidorah also fell behind the $61 million opening for fellow monster KONG: SKULL ISLAND in 2017.

Directed by Michael Dougherty (TRICK 'R TREAT, KRAMPUS) and featuring humans Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler and O'Shea Jackson Jr., the new kaiju smackdown cost a reported $170 million.

The towering behemoth with atomic breath has also smashed an additional $130 million out of international audiences for a worldwide total of $179 million.

Critics weren't too impressed with the immense creature-feature sequel, giving the movie a 32% average on Rotten Tomatoes. The JoBlo review is roaring right HERE.

Disney's live-action update of ALADDIN wasn't far behind the battling beasts in second place with $42.3 million. Director Guy Ritchie's PG-rated remake lost 53% of business from its opening last week but already has a ten-day domestic total of $185 million.

The musical fantasy with Will Smith as the genie granting wishes to the titular thief (Mena Massoud) also has a worldwide total of $445.9 million, on a reported cost of $183 million.

Opening in third place was the new music biopic ROCKETMAN with $25 million for the weekend.

The R-rated glimpse into the life of Elton John, with Taron Egerton effectively embodying the ostentatious rocker, didn't get halfway to the opening for another recent famous musician biopic — last year's Queen movie BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY opened to $51 million and went on to $216 million domestic and an astonishing $903 million worldwide.

Directed by Dexter Fletcher (who completed the aforementioned story of Freddie Mercury after Bryan Singer's dismissal), the early years of the bombastic British hitmaker has also collected $31.2 million from overseas for a worldwide total of $56.2 million. The biography (also featuring Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard and Richard Madden) cost a reported $40 million.

Critics enjoyed Reginald Dwight's journey from small-town talent to global superstar, giving the movie a 90% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Launch over to the JoBlo review HERE.

In fourth place was the new R-rated horror-thriller MA with an opening of $18.2 million.

The Blumhouse production directed by Tate Taylor (THE HELP), with Oscar winner Octavia Spencer befriending and then terrorizing a group of teens, only cost a reported $5 million.

Critics were moderately intrigued by Spencer's unexpectedly violent tendencies, giving the movie a 62% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Get acquainted with the JoBlo review HERE.

Keanu Reeves continued to make killing in fifth place as JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 – PARABELLUM notched $11.3 million on its third weekend. The R-rated assassin sequel has fought its way to a domestic total of $125.7 million and a worldwide total of $221.6 million, on a reported $55 million cost.

Marvel's massive AVENGERS: ENDGAME was in sixth place with $7.8 million over its sixth weekend in theaters. With $815.5 million domestic and $2.71 billion worldwide, the mighty heroes may have restored the universe from its decimation by Thanos but seem unlikely to overcome the box office records for domestic ($936 million for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS) or global totals ($2.78 billion for AVATAR).

In seventh place was the PG-rated comedy POKEMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU with $6.6 million, bringing the Ryan Reynolds-voiced videogame adaptation to $130.6 million domestic and $392 million worldwide (on a reported cost of $150 million).

The R-rated comedy BOOKSMART was in eighth place with $3.3 million, down by 52% from its opening last week. Olivia Wilde's feature directing debut has a ten-day total of $14.3 million on a reported $6 million cost.

The James Gunn-produced R-rated horror movie BRIGHTBURN was in ninth place with $2.3 million, weakened by 70% from last week's opening. The $6 million thriller, with Elizabeth Banks and David Denman dealing with their merciless superpowered adopted son, has a ten-day domestic total of $14.2 million and $24.7 million worldwide.

Closing out the list was the PG-13 comedy THE HUSTLE with $1.3 million. The Rebel Wilson/Anne Hathaway remake of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS has a domestic total of $33.1 million and a worldwide total of $73.9 million, on a reported cost of $31 million.

Outside the chart, the Dennis Quaid duo of A DOG'S JOURNEY and THE INTRUDER departed along with the Charlize Theron/Seth Rogen romcom  LONG SHOT.

Next week kicks off June with the latest X-Men screen chapter DARK PHOENIX and the animated animal sequel THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2.

Which June release are you most interested in seeing? VOTE HERE!