Following a solid $8.5 million on Friday, Legendary/Warner Bros' "Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire" is poised with optimism as it heads into its second weekend, eyeing a return to the $30 million range that was initially projected earlier in the week. Compared to the first installment of the Godzilla series in 2014, which experienced a 67% drop in its second weekend, any decrease less than that would be considered a win. Despite the challenges posed by its simultaneous release on HBO Max, "Godzilla vs. Kong" demonstrated resilience with a manageable -56% decline in its second weekend.
In the realm of new releases, "Monkey Man" emerges as the stronger contender, outpacing 20th Century Studios' "The First Omen" with earnings of $10.5 million against $8 million plus. Both films seemed to target a similar demographic, namely men aged 18-34, with each attracting approximately 66% of that audience. However, "Monkey Man" distinguishes itself by drawing a more diverse crowd, comprising 38% Caucasian, 25% Latino and Hispanic, 14% Black, 17% Asian, and 6% other ethnicities. With a B+ CinemaScore, Dev Patel's directorial debut fares slightly better than industry comparisons, such as "The Northman," which received a B rating. Notably, "Monkey Man" performs strongly in coastal regions, with the AMC Century City in LA emerging as its highest-grossing venue stateside, raking in over $28,000.
Although both films fall short of their $12 million plus projections, "Monkey Man" holds a more favorable financial position, having been acquired by Universal for under $10 million. In contrast, "The First Omen," with production costs exceeding $30 million, appears to blend into a crowded genre of supernatural horror films. Despite lacking evident ties to the original Richard Donner-directed movie, it's uncertain whether this connection would significantly impact its reception, especially considering that even viewers in their early 50s would have been children when the original film debuted. "The First Omen" receives a lukewarm C CinemaScore.
While "Monkey Man" secures the second spot comfortably, "The First Omen" faces stiff competition for fourth place, contending with Uni/DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 4," which is projected to earn around $8 million.
Demographically, "Monkey Man" attracts 61% men compared to "The First Omen's" 51%, with the latter's audience comprising 39% Caucasian, 39% Latino and Hispanic, 9% Black, 8% Asian, and 6% other ethnicities. The South Central West emerges as the primary market for "The First Omen," with the AMC Burbank ranking as the film's top-performing location, generating approximately $20,000 in revenue.
Interestingly, "Monkey Man" faces delays in securing clearance for release in India, where Universal holds distribution rights. Despite Jordan Peele's endorsement, Netflix, which acquired the film for a reported $30 million, opted against releasing it due to concerns about its suitability for the Indian market. While Universal holds distribution rights in some foreign territories, it's yet to secure global distribution for "Monkey Man."
Advertising expenditure reflects Universal's confidence in "Monkey Man," with TV spots amounting to a comparable investment as Warner's campaign for "Godzilla vs. Kong," totaling around $16 million. Leveraging its SXSW launch, "Monkey Man's" campaign garnered 331 million impressions, surpassing Disney's 265 million impressions for "The First Omen." Notably, "Monkey Man" advertisements featured prominently during NFL games (30.6%), men's college basketball (27.0%), NBA games (8.3%), women's college basketball (3.4%), and the show "Chicago Fire" (2.4%). CBS emerged as the primary platform for "Monkey Man" ads, accounting for 50% of total impressions, largely due to the film's Super Bowl spot.
In contrast, "The First Omen" advertisements targeted audiences of men's college basketball, ESPN SportsCenter, NBA games, "Law & Order: SVU," and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
Meanwhile, Fathom Events' special screening of "Someone Like You," based on the novel by bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, achieved a commendable $1.6 million on its opening day, set to reach an estimated $3.8 million over the weekend. Despite receiving unfavorable reviews from critics, with a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audience reception remains overwhelmingly positive at 96%. The South emerges as the film's strongest market, accounting for 32% of total revenue, exceeding the norm of 19%. The AMC Dine In Thoroughbred in Tennessee emerges as the top-performing venue, grossing over $8,000.
Overall, the weekend box office is projected to reach $86 million, marking a 58% decline from the same period last year, which coincided with Easter weekend. Last year's figures were notably boosted by the release of "Super Mario Bros Movie," which contributed to a total weekend gross of $204.7 million.
In summary, "Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire" continues to lead the box office, with "Monkey Man" emerging as a promising contender, while "The First Omen" struggles to make a significant impact. Despite challenges, the box office landscape reflects a diverse array of offerings, catering to varied audience preferences and demographics.
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