Dev Patel's highly anticipated feature directorial debut, Monkey Man, surpassed 20th Century's supernatural franchise horror film, The First Omen, in Thursday night previews at the domestic box office. Monkey Man raked in $1.4 million in previews, while The First Omen earned $725,000. The full weekend is expected to see a close race between the two films for second place, with both predicted to make between $12 million to $14 million each.
Legendary and Warner Bros.' Godzilla vs. Kong: The New Empire is projected to maintain its top spot in its second weekend, following an impressive $80 million opening. The film has already crossed the $100 million mark domestically and is on track to reach or exceed $300 million globally by Sunday.
Monkey Man, distributed by Universal at the recommendation of Jordan Peele, is a revenge-thriller set in India inspired by the legend of Hanuman and the John Wick series. Directed by and starring Dev Patel, the film has garnered critical acclaim since its debut at SXSW, boasting a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86 percent. The First Omen, a prequel to the 1976 film, has an RT score of 81 percent.
Male moviegoers are expected to flock to theaters this weekend for Monkey Man and Godzilla vs. Kong, while The First Omen aims to attract younger female audiences. The First Omen follows a young American woman in Rome who uncovers a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Internationally, The First Omen is opening in key markets this weekend, while Monkey Man will have a more staggered release, starting with 27 markets alongside its North American debut.
