After a really long wait, Godzilla vs. Kong is finally gearing up to hit theaters tomorrow, and he’s going to have a pretty massive showing. Few films have been shown on a large scale since health and safety concerns closed most theaters in the United States last March. That is about to change as the highly anticipated kaiju brawl will have the largest theatrical release of any movie since the start of the pandemic.
According to multiple reports, Godzilla vs. Kong will be released in more than 3,000 theaters across North America. That’s even more than Principe had when it was released in August 2020. Christopher Nolan’s thriller, also a Warner Bros. release, debuted in just over 2,800 theaters. Recent versions, such as Tom and Jerry and Nobody , debuted in between 1,500 and 2,500 theaters.
While it remains to be seen how robust the box office will be in North America, the fact that these plentiful theaters are even available is a positive sign. It has been difficult, to say the least, for theaters over the past year. Most of the blockbusters were pushed out of 2020. Those that did not make as much money as exhibitors might have hoped. But this broad version gives a little more hope that things are starting to improve. If box office revenue follows throughout the weekend, it could be the biggest sign of life the industry has had in months.
Like the rest of Warner Bros. ‘Slate 2021, the latest entry in the MonsterVerse will arrive both in theaters and on HBO Max in the US. This will undoubtedly eat away at any potential box office gains. That said, Godzilla vs. Kong has already had massive exposure overseas. It made over $ 70 million in its first three days of release in China alone, and has already earned over $ 121 million in total. Considering that Godzilla: King of the Monsters surpassed $ 386 million worldwide in 2019, while theaters will still be open worldwide, that’s a good sign.
Godzilla vs. Kong is directed by Adam Wingard, best known for his work on films like Blair Witch and You’re Next . Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler return after King of the Monsters . Also on the bill are Alexander Skarsgard, Rebecca Hall, Demian Bichir, Julian Dennison, Brian Tyree Henry and Eiza Gonzales.
Word of mouth should also help this time around. Godzilla vs. Kong currently holds an 80% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it, right now, the highest rated MonsterVerse movie to date. If the financial situation looks good next Monday, it will likely open the door for many more blockbusters to debut safely in the months to come. Especially since the outlook will only improve, with the rise in the distribution of vaccines. Indeed, we could finally be on a slow ascent to normality. Godzilla vs. Kong arrives March 31 in theaters and on HBO Max.
