Cinema is slowly recuperating post-pandemic, and noteworthy in the recent surge of blockbusters are “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”. Having outperformed their respective predecessor films, “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, these sequels are revving up the market’s engine, yet with contrasting outcomes.
Rebirth of the MonsterVerse
“Godzilla x Kong” first hit theaters in March 2021, ending the long-awaited return of a blockbuster in over a year. Warner Bros.’ decision to roll out the film simultaneously for Max subscribers mirrored the pandemic times. Forward to 2024, the MonsterVerse sequels are faring impressively at the box office, suggesting that previous successes were more than just audiences missing big-screen releases.
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” amassed over twice its predecessor’s domestic ticket sales during its opening weekend – $80 million versus $32.2 million, according to The Numbers. This marks the largest franchise opening weekend since “Godzilla” started the series in 2014, turning around the declining trend observed from “Godzilla” to “Kong: Skull Island” to “Godzilla: King Of The Monsters” to “Godzilla vs. Kong”.
The Global Success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
The film’s success is not limited to domestic audiences, as it garnered a whopping $114 million from overseas markets. This resulted in a worldwide gross near $200 million, ranking it as the seventh biggest worldwide release of 2024 to date. Despite the enormous budget estimated at $135 million by Variety, excluding advertising and publicity costs, the film is on a promising trajectory for considerable box office success.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Struggles in its Second Weekend
The sequel to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”, did not share the same fate. Despite a production cost of about $100 million, the film only managed to rake in $45 million from its first few days at the theaters. As the “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” wave swept cinema audiences during its second weekend, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” recorded a steep 65% drop in sales. To date, this sequel has grossed only $73.4 million domestically, already falling behind “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” that reported $87.5 million during its first ten days, a period still heavily marred by the pandemic. Foreign ticket sales total $35.1 million, pushing the film’s global total barely over $100 million, indicating that it could be the first in the franchise not to break the $200 million barrier.
Wrapping Up
Two blockbusters, two contrasting outcomes. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” provided evidence of an industry in recovery, albeit with still some bumps along the road. As we anticipate more box office hits within the coming months, find your next adventure on https://hitplay.app.
