It looks like Wes Ball’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” from 20th Century Studios is off to a fantastic start. This is the first “Apes” release under the Disney empire, and it’s already making waves.
According to exclusive sources, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” raked in an impressive $6.5 million in previews. That’s a combination of Thursday night money, which started coming in at 3 p.m., and around $1.6 million from Wednesday fan shows, which kicked off at 7 p.m. This bodes well for the movie, with projections indicating an opening weekend of $52-55 million at 4,075 theaters.
To put this in perspective, the opening is in the same ballpark as the first and third chapters of the previous “Apes” trilogy. In 2011, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” had a $19.5 million Friday and a $54.8 million 3-day opening, while 2017’s “War for the Planet of the Apes” saw a $22.1 million Friday and a $56.2 million 3-day opening. So, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is on par with its predecessors.
What’s even more impressive is that “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” has already surpassed the Thursday night preview numbers of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” which brought in $4.25 million before going on to have a massive $72.6 million 3-day opening, the biggest in the franchise’s history.
Critics and audiences seem to be loving the movie so far, with Rotten Tomatoes showing an 82% score for both groups. Wes Ball directs this PG-13 sequel, set 300 years after the events of Matt Reeves’ “War for the Planet of the Apes,” and fans seem eager to explore the next chapter of the story.
As for the rest of the box office, “Fall Guy” from Universal is holding steady in second place, with a projected $14.5 million 3-day weekend and a total of $50.5 million in its second week. Amazon’s “Challengers” is in third place, looking at a $5 million 3-day weekend and a total of $38.3 million in its third week.
Sony’s “Tarot” and Warner Bros./Legendary’s “Godzilla x Kong” round out the top five, with projected 3-day weekends of $3.4 million and $3 million, respectively. “Godzilla x Kong” is particularly impressive, as it’s in its seventh week and has already amassed a total of $192.3 million.
Compared to last weekend’s “Fall Guy,” which had a disappointing $27.7 million opening despite $3.15 million in Wednesday and Thursday previews, these preview numbers for “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” are refreshing. While fans always turn out for Thursday night shows, the hope is that “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” with its 2 hour and 25 minute running time, can maintain its momentum throughout the weekend.
So, mark your calendars and get your tickets, because it looks like “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is going to be the movie to see this summer. With a stellar cast, impressive visual effects, and a storyline that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, this is one blockbuster you won’t want to miss.
The Information is Taken from Deadline and Yahoo
