"Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire" dominated the box office this weekend, outshining Dev Patel's highly anticipated directorial debut, "Monkey Man," and the latest installment in the supernatural franchise, "The First Omen," both of which fell short of expectations.
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| 'Godzilla x Kong' COURTESY OF WARNER BROS |
While neither of these genre films was expected to surpass Warner Bros. and Legendary's "Godzilla vs. Kong" for the top spot, they had hoped for stronger box office performances. Directed by Adam Wingard, "Godzilla" has proven to be a major success for Josh Grode's Legendary Pictures, following the success of "Dune: Part Two," currently the year's highest-grossing film. "Godzilla" has also bolstered Warner Bros. and Legendary's MonsterVerse series, a significant achievement at a time when many franchises struggle to maintain relevance.
In its second weekend, "Godzilla vs. Kong" continued its reign at the box office, topping the chart with $31 million and bringing its domestic total to $135 million. The film experienced a 60 percent drop, which is considered a relatively good hold for a title that opened to $80 million.
"Monkey Man," presented by Universal and Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, debuted in second place with an estimated $10.1 million. Initial tracking had suggested that both "Monkey Man" and "The First Omen" would be in a close race, each projected to earn $12 million to $14 million.
One significant challenge faced by the industry is the abundance of male-focused projects, though "The First Omen" managed to attract a substantial female audience as well, with 49 percent of viewers being younger women. The other two films skewed more than 60 percent male.
While earning $10 million isn't necessarily disappointing, there were high expectations for "Monkey Man" after Universal strategically premiered it at South by Southwest. The film received enthusiastic responses from audiences, influencers, and critics at the festival, which raised anticipation.
Despite this promising start, the film's momentum slowed upon its wider release. It received a decent but not outstanding B+ CinemaScore from viewers and received mixed reviews on PostTrak surveys. Initially, its Rotten Tomatoes score was at a strong 94 percent, but it later dipped to 87 percent. (For comparison, "The First Omen" holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81 percent.) Universal and the filmmakers are now banking on positive word-of-mouth to sustain the film's performance in the long run.
Patel's "Monkey Man" draws inspiration from the action-packed "John Wick" series and the legendary figure of Hanuman, symbolizing strength and courage. In addition to directing, Patel takes on the lead role in this violence-laced, R-rated film. He portrays an anonymous young man who, disguised in a gorilla mask, struggles to make ends meet by working in an underground fight club. His life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a way to infiltrate the elite group responsible for his mother's death, seeking both revenge and justice. Along the way, he becomes a beacon of hope for the city's underprivileged and oppressed.
Meanwhile, "The First Omen," a prequel to Richard Donner's 1976 classic, debuted to an estimated $8.4 million, placing it at No. 4 behind the continued success of "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Disney, anticipating a competitive field, opted to release the supernatural horror film theatrically instead of on its Hulu platform. This decision aimed to support exhibitors facing content shortages due to last year's strikes. "The First Omen" was produced for Hulu but ended up costing around the low $30 million range for its theatrical release.
"The First Omen" stars Nell Tiger Free as a young American woman sent to Rome to serve the Catholic Church. However, her journey takes a dark turn when she encounters a malevolent force that challenges her faith and reveals a horrifying conspiracy to unleash pure evil. The film received a C CinemaScore, which is common for the horror genre.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson and written by Stevenson, Tim Smith, and Keith Thomas, with a story credit to Ben Jacoby, "The First Omen" is based on characters created by David Seltzer. The cast also includes Tawfeek Barhom, Sonia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy.
Internationally, Stevenson's film debuted with $9.1 million from 43 markets, while "Monkey Man" brought in $2.6 million from its initial 27 markets.
Universal had reason to celebrate with Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," which has become his highest-grossing film internationally, earning $638.4 million to date.
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