Alex Garland's provocative Civil War inspired audiences this weekend to go to the cinemas, where it surpassed expectations and earned $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. It's the biggest R-rated opening of the year to date and a record for A24, the studio behind films including Everything Everywhere All At Once. Civil War also unseated Godzilla x Kong from its perch atop the box office, the AP reports. The titan movie from Warner Bros. had held the No. 1 spot for the past two weekends.
Civil War stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Cailee Spaeny as journalists in the near future covering a devastating conflict in the US and trying to make their way to Washington, DC. The fictional story, written by Garland, imagines a US in which California and Texas have united against a president who has disbanded the FBI and given himself a third term. The film opened on 3,838 screens in the US and Canada, including IMAX. It's the most expensive movie that the studio has ever made, with a production budget of $50 million. Reviews have been largely positive. It's currently at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 77% audience score. Its CinemaScore was a B-.
Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
- Civil War, $25.7 million
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, $15.5 million.
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, $5.8 million.
- Kung Fu Panda 4, $5.5 million.
- Dune: Part Two, $4.3 million.
- Monkey Man, $4.1 million.
- The First Omen, $3.8 million.
- The Long Game, $1.4 million.
- Shrek 2, $1.4 million.
- SUGA - Agust D Tour 'D-DAY' The Movie, $990,881.
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