Alien: Covenant Dethrones GOTG Vol. 2 at the Box Office

CBR

By Liam Nolan

Published May 20, 2017

Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel has overtaken Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 at the domestic box office.

After two weeks dominating the box office, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has finally been unseated from the top spot. Director Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant will overtake the juggernaut with an opening of approximately $40 million after making $15.28 million on Friday.

That number puts Alien: Covenant's opening down from its prequel, Prometheus, which opened at $51 million in 2012. Alien: Covenant is somewhat the opposite of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in that way, with the latter having opened much stronger than its predecessor. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 made $145 million, 54% up from its predecessor's 2014 release, in its first weekend before taking in another $63 million in the second. It's projected to take in between $33.6 and $35 million this weekend.

Though it will earn less on its opening weekend than Prometheus did, Alien: Covenant should easily make its money back. Fox has reported that they made Alien: Covenant on a budget in the high-$90 million range, though Scott has said that it cost $111 million to make. The discrepancy there likely comes from the $34 million the film reportedly received from the Australian government for shooting in the country. Regardless of the cost, Alien: Covenant's earnings this weekend mean that the franchise as a whole will have grossed over a billion dollars at the global box office across its eight films, which is good news for Scott who currently has two sequels planned.

In theaters now, Alien: Covenant stars Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England and Benjamin Rigby.

(via Deadline)