How the Opening Weekend of GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE Compares with its Monsterverse Predecessors

Onetime foes Godzilla and King Kong joined forces to slay a new enemy—and the domestic box office—over the weekend, earning an estimated $80 million on 3,861 screens across the three-day weekend frame. Of that total, 48% came from premium formats, including Imax (which brought in 11% of the domestic total), Dolby Cinema, PLF/large format screens, 3D, and immersive seating auditoriums.

That opening weekend haul is the second-highest in Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse, which kicked off in May 2014 with the release of Godzilla, still the franchise’s highest opening weekend earner with $93.1 million. The lowest opener of the set is 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong ($32.2 million), the earnings potential of which was severely flattened by several factors, including its day-and-date release in theaters and on HBO Max and reticence from consumers to return to cinemas while the Covid-19 pandemic was still going strong.

Monsterverse Opening Weekends, Domestic

1. Gozilla (2014): $93.1 million
2. Godzilla X Kong: A New Empire (2024): $80 million (est.)
3. Kong: Skull Island (2017): $61.0 million
4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): $47.7 million
5. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021): $32.2 million

Godzilla vs. Kong eventually topped out at $100.9 million domestically, a figure Godzilla X Kong should surpass in the coming days, helped along by an A- CinemaScore and the absence of a big-budget, tentpole actioner to compete with the film for audience attention and PLF footprint in its second weekend. The best sophomore drop of the Monsterverse belongs to Kong: Skull Island (-54%), followed by Godzilla vs. Kong (-57%).

Monsterverse Second Weekend Drops, Domestic

1. Kong: Skull Island (2017): -54%
2. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021): -57%
3. Godzilla (2014): -67%
4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): -68%

Though a $100 million-plus domestic gross is virtually assured at this point, in order to become the highest-grossing Monsterverse film Godzilla X Kong will have to out-earn Godzilla‘s $200.6 million. Internationally, the highest earner of the franchise is Kong: Skull Island, with $561.0 million to Godzilla‘s $529.0 million.

Monsterverse Theatrical Totals, Domestic

1. Godzilla (2014): $200.6 million
2. Kong: Skull Island (2017): $168.9 million
3. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019): $110.5 million
4. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021): $100.9 million