‘Civil War’ Sees Near $3M In Previews

FRIDAY PM: “A good number,” says a rival distributor about the weekend’s results for the A24s. Civil war which will easily become the studio’s biggest opening of all time at $23 million to $25 million After 10 million dollars Friday/previews in 3,838 theaters. That’s more than Ari Aster’s 2018 film’s $13.5 million debut Hereditary.

It’s an impressive result for a film set against the backdrop of a divided United States, something that hits too close to home. While Blue State audiences will clearly hear the gong that this film rings through the eyes of war photojournalists, will Red State moviegoers be equally delighted? We will see. Whatever your view, Acts 2 and 3 pay off in Imax.

According to News Corp. New York Post critic Johnny Oleksinski, “Garland’s film is no more vital to the discourse than ‘The Purge’ and is about 1% as entertaining.”

Social media monitor RelishMix, which measured a social media universe north of 101 million across TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, reports: “Convo on Civil war is mixed, like the film itself. Audiences are divided on their feelings about A24’s most expensive film to date. At the forefront, fans are eagerly awaiting director Alex Garland’s next thriller: “If you look at Garland’s past work, you know this has the potential to be a pretty damn good movie.” Another viewer adds: “This is going to be so intense, and I’m so excited it’s in IMAX! Hell yeah, Alex Garland!’ Others are excited about A24 getting more into the action genre after the fan favorite. Everything, everywhere, at once: ‘I think A24 is my new favorite production studio. This doesn’t look like a typical, cookie-cutter, big-studio war picture. But naysayers say the film veers dangerously close to territory “too close to real life” for them to enjoy: “Why pay money when I can see the real movie for free?” Others think the film is too divisive to be entertaining in our current political landscape: “Did Hollywood really think this was a good idea right now? »

What’s really cool about A24 is that, like HBO, their brand can single-handedly drive a good portion of its weekend business; even if their fans know nothing about the filmmaker or the film (aka “A24 core”). I’m told that the proportion of A24 diehards who show up varies depending on the film.

In second place is Legendary/Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Kingdom which will roar for a third weekend between $14 to $15 million (-54%) after a $3.6 million Friday (-57%) in 3,847 theaters. This will bring the Monsterverse movie to $157.4 million by Sunday. That means New Kingdom beat 2021 national results Godzilla vs. Kong ($100.9 million), 2019 Godzilla, king of the monsters ($110.5 million), and has $10.6 million left to take over Kong: Skull Island ($168 million nationally).

The third belongs to Sony’s fourth weekend Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in 3,350 theaters with a Friday of $1.2 million3 days of $4.6 million-49% and a cumulative Sunday EOD total of $95.8 million.

The fourth and fifth belong to Universal with Monkey manthe second weekend of $4.5 million-56% after a Friday $1.3 million. This will bring Dav Patel’s directorial debut to $18.1 million in 3,037 sites.

Then there’s studio DreamWorks Animation Kung Fu Panda 4 with a sixth weekend of $4.4 million-43%, for a cumulative total of $172.9 million after a Friday $1.1 million. The fourth after the sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2, last weekend ($165.2 million).

FRIDAY AM: A24’s Alex Garland political thriller, Civil war, got off to a good start with $2.9 million Thursday, premiering in 2,931 locations, the film is on its way to an opening of more than $20 million. This is the best preview ever seen for an A24 film, more than double Herenewspaper ($1.3 million). No one, not its rivals, nor A24 is complaining for what is the studio’s most expensive picture north of $50 million before P&A, which we also hear is close to $20 million. A24 sold the majority of foreign rights early on with Entertainment Film Distributors in the UK and Roadhouse in Australia/New Zealand. Other major territories are going there next weekend.

With 3,800 theaters, bolstered by Imax, this is A24’s widest release ever. It is also the widest R-rated release for an independent studio.

Even before this weekend started, A24, according to sources, already had $2 million in the bank for Civil war and that was just for today’s advance tickets, not last night’s. The question is whether this film is aimed at the heartland and not the coasts. There is some certainty that the film will perform well in red states, as the picture was tested in Kansas City and Dallas with excellent results.

Reviews are good with Kirsten Dunst, Nick Offerman and Cailee Spaeny’s film at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience rating of 86%.

The compositions are difficult on this one, but Civil war has the feeling of an Oliver Stone and Kathryn Bigelow film. By far, these preliminary figures for Civil war are well ahead of Bigelow Detroit which grossed $525,000 and flopped to a $7.1 million opening (in its second weekend). Although it is a drama, Stone’s Snowden saw $2.7 million in previews and $8 million in opening, but Civil war we don’t expect a crater like this title.

Garland’s upcoming Paramount thriller, Annihilation, starring Natalie Portman earned $900,000 in February 2018 before posting a $3.8 million debut and an $11 million opening.

IFC Films signs the second big entry of the weekend with Nicolas Cage’s dystopian thriller, Arcadian, including the world premiere at SXSW. Pic is north of 1,000 theaters and is aiming for a single-digit start. The critics appreciated the freshness at 87%, but the audiences are at 67%. The Benjamin Brewer-directed film follows a father and his teenage twins who fight to survive on a remote farm at the end of the world.

Elsewhere, Legendary/Warner Bros’ Godzilla x Kong: New Kingdom do $1.5 million yesterday in 3,948 theaters, -23% compared to Wednesday, ending its second week with $39.1 million and a cumulative total of $142.4 million.

Universal Monkey man ended its first week with $13.6 million after an estimate $680,000 Thursday on 3,029 sites, -21% compared to Wednesday.

Sony Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire ends week 3 with $11.3 million in 3,835 theaters after a $516,000 estimated Thursday, -12%. The cumulative total is now $91.1 million. The photo is 13% late Ghostbusters: The Afterlife at the same time ; this photo ends its national journey at $129.3 million.

20th century workshops First omen booked in 3,375 locations ends first week with $10.8 million after a $528,000 Thursday, -13% compared to Wednesday.

Legendary/Warner Dune: part two ends week 6 with $10.1 million after a $630,000 Thursday, -14% for a cumulative total of $267.7 million.