As Godzilla vs. Kong prepares to rumble into domestic movie theaters, the MonsterVerse feature is already breaking a record for a movie released during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Variety, Godzilla vs. Kong will be playing in over 3,000 movie theaters, the highest domestic theater count for a pandemic-era feature. Previously, the record was held by fellow Warner Bros. blockbuster Tenet with 2,810 locations. Most movies released theatrically during the pandemic have opened in significantly fewer than usual theaters, with Raya and the Last Dragon, for instance, premiering in just 2,045 locations.
Tracking points to Godzilla vs. Kong opening to over $20 million in its initial five days of release. However, the actual debut could fluctuate greatly since the ongoing pandemic makes it difficult to accurately project how movies will perform theatrically.
What's far more certain is that Godzilla vs. Kong had an impressive opening weekend in overseas territories. Grossing $69.2 million in China alone and a total of $123.1 million for its entire offshore debut, the tentpole title also had the biggest IMAX opening weekend since December 2019.
Directed by Adam Wingard and written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein, Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on March 31.
Source: Variety