The first characters of the weekend from the movie American Monster Godzilla vs. Kong, where the two famous movie monsters compete head-to-head, has been greeted with muted cheers in Hollywood and beyond. With revenues of more than 41 million euros from more than three thousand film screens, the film is the largest film achieved since the pandemic that has paralyzed the world of cinema. The numbers may indicate a new trend, because at the same time as the movie’s premiere, the movie was also shown on HBO Max, a streaming service that charges around €12.50 per month.
You’ll see Producer Legendary Entertainment in these first numbers as proof that releasing a new movie on the streaming service shouldn’t stand in the way of cinema success. Outside the United States, the film has already grossed over €200 million in its opening weekend, of which €115 million is in China. There are also analysts tempering the optimism by noting that under “normal” conditions the film would certainly be twice as good. In the US, more than 90 percent of movie theaters have reopened, but with capacity restrictions, so some major cities now allow no more than a quarter of the usual number of visitors.
