LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� reigned over the weekend box office with a $56.5 million North American opening, according to studio estimates Sunday, giving a needed surge to an in theaters.
The film from 20th Century Studios and Disney that built on the rebooted 鈥淎pes鈥� trilogy of the 2010s had the third highest opening of the year, after the $81.5 million debut of 鈥淒une: Part Two鈥� in early March and the $58.3 million domestic opening of a week later.
The strong performance for 鈥淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes鈥� 鈥� it played even better internationally with a global total of $129 million 鈥� comes a week after a tepid start for Ryan Gosling's 鈥淭he Fall Guy鈥� signaled that the summer of 2024 is likely to see a major drop-off after the 鈥淏arbenheimer鈥� magic of 2023.
鈥淧lanet of the Apes鈥� easily made more than the rest of the top 10 combined.
fell to No. 2 with a $13.7 million weekend and a two-week total of $49.7 million for Universal Pictures.
Zendaya's was third with $4.7 million and has earned $38 million in three weeks for Amazon MGM studios.
The opening for 鈥淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,鈥� helmed by 鈥淢aze Runner鈥� director Wes Ball, was the second best in the series, after the $72 million opening weekend of 2014鈥檚 鈥淒awn of the Planet of the Apes.鈥�
It's the 10th movie in the 鈥淧lanet of the Apes鈥� franchise that began in 1968 with the Charlton Heston original with a twist ending.
鈥淭his franchise has never been allowed to lose its momentum,鈥� said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. 鈥淭here are very few franchises that have this kind of longevity.鈥�
And it really is the property itself. The new film shares no central actors or characters with its predecessors.
鈥淭here鈥檚 just this love for the way it melds sci-fi with social commentary and straight-up popcorn entertainment,鈥� Dergarabedian said.
鈥淜ingdom鈥� came with strong reviews and positive buzz (80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a "B" CinemaScore). It was especially praised for its visual effects and the way its CGI has caught up with its primates-on-horseback aesthetic even since the last film, 2017's 鈥淲ar for the Planet of the Apes.鈥�
Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press called it
The shot in the arm is welcome for the movie business, but there is little certainty in the forthcoming summer.
The year so far, lacking an early Marvel movie like 2023's 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,鈥� is running 21% last year's mid-May total.
While there are potential blockbusters that feel like safe bets including 鈥淒espicable Me 4鈥� and 鈥淒eadpool & Wolverine鈥� in July, others like 鈥淔uriosa: A Mad Max Saga鈥� later this month and 鈥淭wisters鈥� later in the summer feel like they could break either way.
Pixar once brought almost guaranteed hits, but June's 鈥淚nside Out 2鈥� may not thrive like the 2015 original.
鈥淭here used to be sure bets we cannot necessarily bank on anymore,鈥� Dergarabedian said. 鈥滻t is going to be a bit of a hit-or-miss slate.鈥�
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. 鈥淜ingdom of the Planet of the Apes,鈥� $56.5 million.
2. "The Fall Guy,鈥� $13.7 million.
3. 鈥淐hallengers,鈥� $4.7 million.
4. 鈥淭arot,鈥� $3.45 million.
5. 鈥淕odzilla x Kong: The New Empire,鈥� $2.5 million.
6. 鈥淯nsung Hero,鈥� $ 2.25 million.
7. 鈥淜ung Fu Panda 4,鈥� $2 million.
8. 鈥淐ivil War,鈥� $1.8 million.
9. 鈥淪tar Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace,鈥� $1.5 million.
10. 鈥淎bigail,鈥� $1.1 million.
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
