The cinematic jungle has crowned a new ruler with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” ruling over the weekend box office with a robust $56.5 million haul from North American theatres, according to studio estimates on Sunday. This performance injects a dose of vitality into a movie season surrounded by questions of stability and audience turnout.
From the creative collaboration of 20th Century Studios and Disney, the latest continuation of the reinvented “Apes” mythology of the 2010s secured the label of the third most lucrative launch of the year. It trails behind the $81.5 million premiere of “Dune: Part Two” in early March and “Kung Fu Panda 4,” which opened to the tune of $58.3 million just one week later.
Internationally, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” swung even higher, reaching a global cumulative of $129 million. This comes on the heels of a less-than-stellar introduction for Ryan Gosling’s “The Fall Guy” the previous weekend, hinting that the summer of 2024 may not reach the blockbuster heights of the prior season, which was sprinkled with the “Barbenheimer” box office magic.
Dominating the charts, “Planet of the Apes” devoured the combined earnings of the top 10 competitors.
Ryan Gosling’s action film “The Fall Guy” was relegated to the second spot with $13.7 million over the weekend, tallying a two-week revenue of $49.7 million for Universal Pictures. Placing third, Zendaya’s sports drama “Challengers” drew $4.7 million, accumulating $38 million over three weeks for Amazon MGM studios.
Directed by Wes Ball, known for the “Maze Runner” series, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” marked the second most impressive opening within the franchise, outshone only by 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” which garnered $72 million during its initial weekend. The film’s success is a testament to the time-honored franchise that commenced in 1968 with the iconic Charlton Heston-led classic known for its unforgettable twist ending.
“This franchise has never been permitted to wane in its momentum,” noted Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. The sustained relevance of such a series is relatively exceptional in the annals of cinema history.
While the recent film doesn’t share central actors or characters with the most recent trilogy, the tenacity of the “Planet of the Apes” narrative is evident. “There’s just this affection for the way it amalgamates sci-fi with social discourse and undiluted crowd-pleasing spectacle,” Dergarabedian articulated.
“Kingdom” captivated audiences with critical acclaim and strong word-of-mouth, boasting an 80% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earning a “B” grade from CinemaScore audiences. Particularly highlighted were its advanced visual effects and the manner in which its computer-generated imagery has evolved from the prior installment in 2017, “War for the Planet of the Apes.”
Mark Kennedy from The Associated Press extolled the film as “thrilling” and “visually stunning,” reflecting industry-wide sentiments.
Despite the welcome boost from “Kingdom,” the upcoming summer slate holds an aura of unpredictability. Cumulative box office figures for the year, without the propulsion of early-year Marvel releases such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in 2023, currently lag 21% behind last year’s standings at the same point.
While there are potential smash hits on the horizon like “Despicable Me 4” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” others, such as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “Twisters,” are perceived as more uncertain prospects. Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” slated for June, may also struggle to replicate the success of its 2015 predecessor.
Dergarabedian reflected on the current industry climate, acknowledging, “There used to be sure bets we cannot necessarily bank on anymore. It is going to be a bit of a hit-or-miss slate.”
Estimated ticket sales for the past weekend across U.S. and Canadian cinemas indicate the pecking order of the films contending at the box office. Final domestic figures will emerge on Monday, yet the momentum from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” already positions the franchise as a pronounced industry titan once more.
