studios pushed back their biggest films in the hopes of recapturing some box office magic when theaters reopened. Unfortunately, that hasn't really been the case.
Tenet was the first major blockbuster to debut exclusively in theaters during the pandemic with its September premiere. To no one's surprise, the Christopher Nolan picture's box office take was disappointing and prompted Warner Bros. to make a controversial decision. The studio announced that, starting with Wonder Woman 1984 on Christmas Day, their entire 2021 slate would be hitting theaters and HBO Max at the same time. Many worried that this would hinder their film's potential for box office success, but they've proven the industry wrong in some regards.
Godzilla vs Kong's Wednesday debut saw the film pull in $9.6 million from 2,409 theaters, according to Deadline. No other film has pulled in this amount on its opening day since March 2020 when Pixar's Onward made $12 million on March 6. Estimates put Godzilla vs Kong's five day total in the $20-30 million, but analysts say that the film could now sur that.
Not only is the film's box office take vindication for Warner Bros., but it's also a promising sign that audiences want to return to theaters. Godzilla vs Kong already broke international box office records after being released on March 24. Prior to the film's opening, Wonder Woman 1984 held the record for highest opening day in the US during the pandemic with a total of $7.5 million. Conditions have gradually improved since then, with theaters in Los Angeles and New York reopening and many people getting vaccinated. Worries that WB's release strategy could hinder a film's success now seem unfounded.
Godzilla vs Kong proves that a franchise's most ardent fans will turn out in theaters to see the spectacle on the biggest screen possible, regardless of whether or not the film is available to stream. In fact, WB is probably getting the best of both worlds, with super fans going to theaters to see the film on the big screen before streaming it again at home. It's clear that Godzilla vs Kong's Titan battles demand to be seen on the biggest screen possible and that was likely its biggest draw. Now analysts will have to wait and see how the film performs over the five day period and, by all s, it looks to be on track for a big debut.
Source: Deadline
