"Kong: Skull Island" debuted on Friday to a huge 22.5 million US dollar reception in China (which includes Thursday night and midnight screenings), marking its largest sales in the international market so far.
The first-day take represented nearly 76% of China’s total box office haul on Friday, claiming the second-biggest English-language bow of the year, following "Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," and the fifth-biggest Friday opening ever for a US title in China.
The King Kong movie has grabbed 167.3 million US dollars in the international market (not including China) ahead of the weekend, with the UK led by 14.8 million US dollars. The ape will stomp into Japan today.
People takes pictures of the giant display for "Kong: Skull Island" at TaiKoo Hui Mall on March 23, 2017 in Guangzhou, China. /CFP Photo
The movie also topped the US box office on its opening weekend, bringing in 61 million US dollars, contributing to a strong trend. Its Friday forecasts placed it at 18 million US dollars for the third weekend, which should give the giant ape picture a domestic total of 140 million US dollars by Sunday.
Kong, which stars Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and Brie Larson, costs about 185 million US dollars before promotion and advertising (estimated at 136 million US dollars). The film is the latest attempt to restore King Kong. The cinema’s most classic version, which starred Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray, debuted in 1933.
"Kong: Skull Island" is the second entry in Legendary and Warner Bros.’ shared "MonsterVerse" series, following 2014's "Godzilla," which grossed 529.1 million US dollars globally on a 160 million US dollars budget. "Godzilla 2" hits theaters on March, 22, 2019, and the two giants will be duking it out in "Godzilla vs. Kong," slated for May 21, 2020.
