Godzilla vs Kong Earns $122M at Global Box Office, $70M From China Alone

[ShadeShadow]

Godzilla vs Kong has debuted worldwide with a $122 million box office take, $70 million of which comes from China. The Battle of the Titans will bring together Godzilla and Kong on screen for the first time since 1962 and it's swiftly become one of 2021's most anticipated releases. The epic battle will act as the culmination of several years worth of storytelling in Legendary's MonsterVerse. Godzilla debuted in 2014 followed by Kong: Skull Island shortly after. Godzilla: King of the Monsters roared into theaters in 2019 and seemed to hit a roadblock with middling critical reception and a lackluster box office take.

Godzilla vs Kong was released internationally on March 24 and early indicators show that it could be one of China's biggest box office hits of 2021. China, the second largest theatrical market in the world, is getting an exclusive theatrical release unlike the US. Godzilla vs Kong will debut in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day stateside. How that will affect its box office take remains to be seen, but Legendary and Warner Bros. may have nothing to worry about.

Deadline reports that Godzilla vs Kong has set a new record for highest international box office take during the pandemic for a Hollywood production. The film scored $70 million in China during its opening weekend, topping King of the Monsters $66 million opening. In other territories, Godzilla vs Kong pulled in roughly another $50 million, bringing its cumulative international total to $122 million. The previous pandemic box office record holder, Christopher Nolan's Tenet, pulled in $53 million during its debut.

screenshot-2021.03.29-03_40_01.jpg

Currently, Legendary has no MonsterVerse films in the works beyond Godzilla vs Kong, stoking speculation that the studio could be waiting to see how the film performs before announcing future entries in the franchise. This compounded worries that Godzilla vs Kong's HBO Max debut could severely impact any sequel talks. Fortunately, the MonsterVerse has broad international appeal and it seems like the film is living up to its reputation. Not only is it one of the biggest blockbusters to hit theaters in over a year, but it also has a massive built in fanbase around the world.

How Godzilla vs Kong performs stateside remains to be seen, but it may not ultimately matter. If the film can pull in enough money overseas, Legendary and WB will have more than enough reason to finance a sequel. Anticipation for Godzilla vs Kong should not be underestimated and even though WB will have to look at different metrics to measure its US success, they've likely already accounted for this. When the film premieres on HBO Max, it will be the latest in a string of hits for the streamer and the first outside of the DCEU. WB announced Wonder Woman 1984's follow-up days after its HBO Max premiere and it seems all but guaranteed they'll do the same with Godzilla vs Kong.

Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021)
Release Date: Mar 31, 2021