Culture news Godzilla x Kong is no longer master of its land: this modestly budgeted film is a hit at the US box office
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The new Warner Bros film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, landed in American theaters in a big way. After taking the lead in a box office filled with blockbusters, its number 1 spot finds itself threatened as week 4 approaches. The release of A24's new film, Civil War, is expected to explode the scores for its opening weekend!
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Godzilla x Kong: The New Kingdom and the loss of 1st place
After successfully entering American cinemas, with nearly $80 million collected over its first 4 weeks, Godzilla x Kong is preparing to give up its number 1 spot in the United States. Its replacement: Civil War. According to the estimates of BoxOfficeProthe film by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) would sign an opening week between $20 million and $30 million. A performance that would allow it to become the best launch from the A24 distributor.
Between 20 and 30 million, that's almost twice as much as the current score for Godzilla x Kong which, for its fourth week in the USA, is between 12 and 15 million. A figure which is already close to the standards of previous films (Godzilla 2014, Godzilla 2019). So this is not a significant drop.
Furthermore, the case of Godzilla x Kong comes in an unfavorable context for American cinema. In fact, since the start of the year, no film has managed to stay at the top of the best launches for more than 3 weeks. Adam Wingard's feature film is, however, far from disappointing, by being one of the 5 best startups of 2024. However, it’s Civil War’s turn to shine.
Civil War: A launch on the front line
The story of Civil War takes us to the heart of a civil war ravaging the United States, where we follow a team of journalists who try to reach Washington to tell the biggest story of their lives. A scenario that won over critics, including a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Civil War is preparing to chase Godzilla and Kong from its lands. According to BoxOfficePro, studio A24 implemented a more ambitious marketing approach than usual, targeting a larger demographic for its launch weekend. Its release in the United States was followed by its first reactions. Many critics appreciate the powerful images and settings of the film.
This film shows the unparalleled power of the visual image – Nick Shager, The Daily Beast
This dystopia makes it clear the moral dilemmas that war journalists can face. According to Randy Myers of Mercury News, Alex Garland managed to send a message “In a nation where citizens take up arms against each other, everyone fails.” The British screenwriter seems to take into account the current situation in the USA, and attempts to transcribe the absurdity of such a conflict. After a good start, it remains to be seen how the public will react, which will determine whether Civil War will have the capacity to reach $100 million.