The debate rages on as to who would win the rubber match between King Kong and Godzilla, but no one can dispute that Godzilla vs. Kong is now the reigning COVID-19 box office champ.
The dubious honor was bestowed this weekend when the Legendary Pictures production crossed the $70 million mark, outstripping the previous leader, Tenet, which made $58.5 million during its theatrical run in the fall and winter of 2020.
Surprisingly, Godzilla vs. Kong isn’t far behind the pre-pandemic Godzilla: King of the Monsters which made $78 million in the same two week time frame. Coupled with the availability of the monster-fest in homes across North America on HBO Max, the success is no small feat.
The film has also performed unsurprisingly well overseas, with an additional $297.3M from the international box office, where it currently sits in third place worldwide.
Back in the states, Warner Bros.′ films currently hold four out of the top five highest-grossing films released during the pandemic, with the previously mentioned Tenet in second, Universal’s The Croods: A New Age in third with $56.5 million, Wonder Woman 1984 in fourth with $46.2 million, and Tom and Jerry in fifth with $40.3 million.
Godzilla vs. Kong should continue a healthy run at the box office with more theaters opening up daily (and the film did get a big boost from theaters in Los Angeles and New York which opened for the first time in almost a year) and a lack of competition. The next sizeable opponent doesn’t surface until May 28 when A Quiet Place II debuts, so while the weekend box office will certainly slip for the “gruesome twosome”, the pair should continue to increase their lead over the rest of the pack.
