With “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.), March came in like a lion. With “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” (also Warner Bros.), March is going out, well, as a lion. Leave the lamb for Easter dinner.
With an estimated $80 million (actual totals may be higher), Legendary Entertainment’s second big franchise sequel this month falls just shy of the $82 million debut for “Dune 2.” Warner Bros. now looks near certain to have three $200 million and over films since December — the only distributor to achieve that since July.
This could be the best weekend of the year so far, with a tentative estimate of $136.4 million. That includes four films over $10 million, the first time that’s happened this year. All told, this boosted the 2024 year to date; we’re now down by only six percent.
With “Godzilla x Kong,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal) and “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (Sony) all opening over $40 million, it challenges the growing consensus that sequels were on the downslide.
Instead, March will close around $750 million — bigger than any month (including December) since August, when originals “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were still in their early weeks.
This weekend was boosted by Friday that was a holiday for some, as well as Easter Sunday. Still, no one expected the latest Monsterverse entry to come close to $80 million; estimates were less than $60 million, which would have been a considered decent return.
With a Cinemascore of A-, audiences clearly seemed satisfied (as opposed to critics, with a lowly 47 Metacritic score). Apart from the holiday boost, it’s hard to explain this performance — but two factors may have helped.
![Godzilla Minus One](https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MCDGOMI_HT028.jpg?w=650)
Coming after several weeks of successful sequels, resistance may have been lower (and trailer play, particularly with “Dune 2,” was a plus). However, the domestic success of the Japanese film “Godzilla Minus One” (Toho), which won an Oscar for Visual Effect and grossed an unexpected $56 million domestic, might have boosted interest in the franchise. (That film has been unavailable on any platform for two months).
Initial success for “Godzilla” is worldwide, with an additional $114 million foreign. That includes $44 million from China, a rare recent success for a Hollywood release. Even better news for Warners and Legendary is the film’s production budget was $135 million, making it far easier to achieve a sizeable profit.
More good news for Warners and Legendary is “Dune” dropped only 37 percent, which is particularly impressive since “Godzilla” claimed most premium, higher-priced screens. Denis Villeneuve’s film is now at $252 million, with a domestic $300 million (and worldwide $750 million) possible.
“Panda” at #4 dropped 38 percent and is now over $151 million, potentially reaching $200 million as well. However, “Frozen Empire” dropped 65 percent in its second weekend, reaching $73 million after 10 days. It might not end up much over $100 million.
The rest of the Top 10 is an eclectic mix of indie horror, India, and Lionsgate. Neon’s “Immaculate,” at #5, is off 39 percent with nearly $3.3 million. “Late Night with the Devil” (IFC), is #7 with $2.2 million, down 22 percent. Compared to most horror films, both held extremely well in their second weeks. Two new worldwide Indian releases — “Tillu Square” (Prathyangira) and “Crew” (FunAsia) placed on the list, as well as “Arthur the King” and “Imaginary” (Lionsgate).
![LA CHIMERA, Josh O'Connor (on tractor, top right), 2023. © Neon / Curtesy Everett Collection](https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dosa-La-Chimera.jpg?w=650)
Three new openings stood out among platform titles. Despite mixed reviews, “Wicked Little Letters” (Sony Pictures Classics) managed $87,000 ($17,400 per theater) in five locations. Alice Rohrwacher’s acclaimed “La Chimera” (Neon) grossed $45,000 in three. And a single run of Jean-Pierre Melville’s great gangster film “Le Samourai” in New York did $15,000.
Among wider expansions, South Korea’s “Exhuma” grossed $400,000 in 75 theaters. Of note: “Oppenheimer” finally opened in Japan, and at $2.6 million had the best studio opening in that country this year. (“Godzilla” won’t open until late April.)
The Top 10
1. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Sony) NEW – Cinemascore: A-; Metacritic: 47; Est. budget: $135 million
$80,000,000 in 3,861 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $20,720; Cumulative: $80,000,000
2. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) Week 2; Last weekend #1
$15,700,000 (-65%) in 4,345 (no change) theaters; PTA: $3,613; Cumulative: $73,401,000
3. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.) Week 5; Last weekend #2
$11,100,000 (-37%) in 3,136 (-301) theaters; PTA: $3,540; Cumulative: $252,390,000
4. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) Week 4; Last weekend #3
$10,200,000 (-38%) in 3,582 (-223) theaters; PTA: $2,848; Cumulative: $151,650,000
5. Immaculate (Neon) Week 2; Last weekend #4
$3,265,000 (-39%) in 2,362 (+8) theaters; PTA: $1,383; Cumulative: $11,128,000
6. Arthur the King (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend #54;
$2,400,000 (-44%) in 2,525 (-478) theaters; PTA: $950; Cumulative: $19,066,000
7. Late Night with the Devil (IFC) Week 2; Last weekend #6
$2,206,000 (-22%) in 1,442 (+408) theaters; PTA: $1,530; Cumulative: $6,294,000
8.Tillu Square (Prathyangira) NEW – Est. budget: $28 million
$1,836,000 in 450 theaters; PTA: $4,080; Cumulative: $1,836,000
9. Crew (FunAsia) NEW – Est. budget: $24 million
$1,700,000 in 486 theaters; PTA: $3,498; Cumulative: $1,700,000
10. Imaginary (Lionsgate) Week 4; Last weekend #7
$1,400,000 (-50%) in 1,956 (-557) theaters; PTA: $716; Cumulative: $26,235,000
Other specialized titles
Films (limited, expansions of limited, as well as awards-oriented releases) are listed by week in release, starting with those opened this week; after the first three weeks, only films with grosses over $5,000 are listed.Metacritic scores and initial film festivals recorded.
Wicked Little Letters (Sony Pictures Classics) NEW – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include: Toronto 2023
$87,000 in 5 theaters; PTA: $17,400
La Chimera (Neon) NEW – Metacritic: 89; Festivals include: Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, New York 2023
$45,037 in 3 theaters; PTA: $15,012
In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Goldwyn) NEW – Metacritic: 59; Festivals include: Venice 2023
$1,056,000 in 896 theaters; PTA: $1,179
Asphalt City (Roadhouse) NEW – Metacritic: 47; Festivals include: Cannes 2023
$130,600 in 298 theaters; PTA: $438
Le Samourai (Janus) NEW (Reissue)
$15,788 in 1 theater; PTA: $15,788
Carol Doda Topless at the Condor (Picturehouse) Week 2
$31,438 in 24 (+20) theaters; PTA: $1,310; Cumulative: $72,650
Femme (Utopia) Week 2
$24,030 in 4 (+3) theaters; PTA: $6,008; Cumulative: $45,795
Limbo (Music Box) Week 2
$7,611 in 7 (+5) theaters; PTA: $1,087; Cumulative: $18,305
Exhuma (WellGo USA) Week 3
$(est.) 400,000 in 75 (+8) theaters; PTA: $5,333; Cumulative: $1,354,000
One Life (Bleecker Street) Week 3
$474,410 in 578 (-431) theaters; Cumulative: $4,521,000
The American Society of Magical Negroes (Focus) Week 3
$54,000 in 152 (-1,001) theaters; Cumulative: $2,449,000
Love Lies Bleeding (A24) Week 4
$642,734 in 858 (-970) theaters; Cumulative: $7,190,000
Cabrini (Angel) Week 4
$1,038,000 in 1,345 (-420) theaters; Cumulative: $18,142,000
YOLO (Sony) Week 4
$62,000 in 71 (no change) theaters; Cumulative: $1,881,000
Problemista (A24) Week 5
$366,803 in 379 (+142) theaters; Cumulative: $1,900,000
Ennio (Music Box) Week 8
$13,091 in 20 (+17) theaters; Cumulative: $50,269
The Taste of Things (IFC) Week 8
$25,569 in 41 (-29) theaters; Cumulative: $2,630,000