20th Century Studios is looking to get things going this weekend withKingdom of the Planet of the Apes, the fourth installment inthe long-running franchise’s reboot series. Set hundreds of years after 2011’sRise of the Planet of the Apes, the movie is tracking ahead of itsprojected opening weekend haul of over $50 million, thanks toa strong $22 million on Friday, which includes the $6 million that the movie made in Thursday previews.
Directed byWes Ball, who remainsbest known for his Maze Runner trilogy of films,Kingdom of the Planet of the Apesarrives seven years after the reboot trilogy’s final film,War for the Planet of the Apes. The movie’s projected $52 million opening would put it in the same range asWar($56 million in 2017) andRise($54 million in 2011). The middle chapter, 2014’sDawn of the Planet of the Apes, delivered a franchise-best domestic box office debut of $72 million, and ended its run with over $700 million worldwide.
Directed byMatt Reeves,DawnandWarwere both beloved by audiences, scoring glowing reviews for their emotional resonance and state-of-the-art visual effects. EvenRise, directed byRupert Wyatt, was largely well-liked. Ball had big shoes to fill, and it looks like he’s living up to expectations, withKingdom of the Planet of the Apesearning an80% approval ratingonRotten Tomatoes. Butaudience response is slightly worrying, with the movie earning only a soft B CinemaScore — the lowest sinceTim Burton’s 2000 reboot film— from opening day audiences. Collider’sRoss Bonaimewrotein his reviewthat the film “can’t help but feel like a step back in this franchise’s evolution.”
‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Is Expected to Start a New Trilogy
Slipping to second place after a lukewarm debutlast week,The Fall Guygrossed $3.5 million on its second Friday, setting itself up for a projected sophomore weekend haul of around $14 million. This should take the rather costly film’srunning domestic total to $50 million after 10 days of release. Directed byDavid Leitchand starringRyan GoslingandEmily Bluntin the lead roles, the action-comedy stumbled in its opening despite weeks of positive buzz andglowing reviews. With a reported price tag between $130 million and $150 million, the moviecouldn’t crack the $30 million mark in its domestic debut.
Poised to debut on digital platforms soon, the much-discussed romantic dramaChallengerstook the third spot with $1.6 million on its third Friday. Directed byLuca Guadagninoand starringZendaya,Mike Faist, andJosh O’Connoras a trio of tennis professionals whose lives collide across several years,Challengersis looking ata running domestic total of just under $40 millionby Sunday, which means that it will definitely pass the $50 million mark domestically by the end of its run — a healthy result for a star-driven studio film, despite its relatively bloated budget of $55 million. Globally, the movie will pass the $65 million mark this weekend.
The fourth and fifth spots went to Sony’s horror non-starterTarotand Warner Bros.’ blockbusterGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire.Tarotis looking at around $1 million on its second Friday, taking its running domestic total to just under $10 million, whileGodzilla x Kongadded $600,000 on its seventh Friday, taking its domestic total to $190 million. The movie will soon debut on digital platforms, even as it chases the 2014Godzilla’s franchise-record domestic haul of $200 million. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he’s been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.
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