Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment's latest installment in the MonsterVerse series, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, roared into the Chinese theatrical box office with an impressive start on Friday. By 3 p.m. local time in Beijing, the film had already raked in approximately $7 million (RMB 50 million) in ticket sales, as reported by ticketing service Maoyan. Projections from Maoyan suggest that the monster movie could potentially reach a total of $105 million in China.
While this figure represents a slight decrease from the remarkable $188.7 million earned by Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021, it still stands out as one of the best performances by a Hollywood film in China in recent months. Dune: Part Two, directed by Denis Villeneuve, currently holds the title of the top U.S. film in China for 2024, with earnings exceeding $45 million, surpassing the total of Dune: Part One.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has garnered strong social scores, with an average rating of 9.6 on Alibaba's Taopiaopiao platform and 9.4 on Maoyan. The film continues the narrative from Godzilla vs. Kong, exploring the enigmatic Hollow Earth and introducing a new Titan threat that forces Godzilla and Kong to form an unlikely alliance.
Director Adam Wingard, known for his work on Godzilla vs. Kong, returned to helm this latest installment, which features a cast including Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle, and newcomer Dan Stevens in a leading role.
