'Godzilla: King of the Monsters': Latest monster film leads China's box office

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"Godzilla: King of the Monsters" hit Chinese theaters on Friday and was the king of the box office over the past three days. It took in over 23 million US dollars on its first day, leading the market by a wide margin. Take a look.

By the end of Sunday, "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" was well above any other film in Chinese cinemas, raking in over 480 million yuan or about 70 million US dollars at the box office.

The film is a sequel to the 2014 monster hit Godzilla and is the 35th film in the Godzilla franchise. It centers on the eponymous monster who faces off against ancient mythic creatures that are wreaking havoc on Earth.

The monster film opened one day before the International Children's Day in China, and the keen interest of children might have given it a sales boost.

However, some parents say the Godzilla figure might be too scary for kids and they would prefer their children to watch animated and fantasy films, like "Aladdin" and "Doraemon the Movie 2019: Chronicle of the Moon Exploration".

"I am going to watch the Doraemon film with my son. I think compared with Godzilla 2, it is more suitable for kids to watch because there are no horrible scenes in the film."

"I don't like Godzilla 2 because the monster figure scared me. I would like to watch the film Aladdin because it is adapted from a fairy tale I loved."

Despite the challenges from animated and fantasy films, insiders say the monster film could endure as a box office hit.

ZHANG JIAXING, BUSINESS MANAGER UME, SHUANGJING, BEIJING "I think Godzilla 2 can still lead the box office in the next weeks because -- as a commercial blockbuster -- the film's stunning visual effects and thrilling story are gaining a wide range of moviegoers. Even though we see animated films picking up their pace, Godzilla was still the top box office hit over the weekend."

"Godzilla: King of the Monsters" could still face fierce competition as June is regarded as the opening month of the summer movie season. Many domestic and foreign films will be squeezed into the following months. CGTN.