Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard thanked fans for the film's record-breaking box office haul. The highly anticipated battle of the Titans premiered internationally on March 24 and came out of the gate strong. Godzilla vs. Kong netted $122 million in international territories during its first weekend in theaters, $70 million of which came from China. How the film would perform in the US, though, remained unclear because of its day-and-date premiere in theaters and on HBO Max.
Those fears ultimately proved to be unfounded. Godzilla vs. Kong debuted with the highest opening day since March 2020, when Pixar's Onward premiered in theaters. The film's five-day haul became the highest opening ever during the pandemic, beating analysts' predictions with its $48.5 million take. Godzilla vs. Kong has now earned more than $285 million after its first two weeks in theaters, the first film to do so during the pandemic.
Wingard took to Instagram to thank fans for this impressive turnout. The director says he is "deeply moved" by the response to the film and is happy to be a part of reviving the theatrical experience after a troubling 2020. Wingard cites the fact that the film was able to perform this well despite its release on HBO Max as especially impressive.
Warner Bros.' controversial decision to release their entire 2021 slate on HBO Max and in theaters at the same time ruffled feathers in the industry at the end of 2020, with many thinking this could be the death knell for the theatrical experience. While the jury's still out on how this could ultimately affect the industry in the long term, it seems that, for now, moviegoers are more than willing to return to theaters for the right film. Godzilla vs. Kong is one of those films, a blockbuster that begs to be seen on the biggest screen possible and it certainly seems like fans were clamoring for a theatrical experience of this magnitude.
Godzilla vs. Kong has also beat out Zack Snyder's Justice League and broken a record for HBO Max viewership, proving that Warner Bros. may be the ultimate winner of this situation. The studio has promised to return to theatrical-only releases in 2022, so this experiment could ultimately be short-lived, but it doesn't change the fact that there's still a clear divide between those who wish to enjoy new movies from the comfort of their own home and those willing to return to theaters. Godzilla vs. Kong is one in a string of blockbusters that will hit theaters and HBO Max this year, so all eyes will be on those upcoming films to see if this trend continues.
Source: Adam Wingard
