Alex Garland's dystopian action movie about a divided America surpasses expectations and scores A24's biggest opening ever despite split reviews from the audience.
- Apr 15, 2024
AceShowbiz - "Civil War" comes out victorious on its first weekend at box office. Alex Garland's dystopian action movie lands atop the chart after earning an estimated $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America.
The provocative film sets the biggest opening weekend ever for A24, which has been trying to produce biggest movies. "Civil War" cost $50 million to produce, marking the studio's most expensive production to date.
The movie has proven it's worth every penny spent on it as it surpassed industry expectations, which projected it to gross $18-24 million. It also marks the biggest R-rated opening of the year to date despite split reviews from the audience.
The movie, which stars Kirsten Dunst as a frontline journalist covering a devastating conflict in the U.S., landed a "B-" CinemaScore, which would not guarantee word of mouth. Critics, meanwhile, were more generous, with 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
"This is an excellent opening for a dystopian thriller," says David A. Gross of movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. "The story is not directly partisan, but it's provoking partisan feelings. It's a fine balance to strike. Audiences are emotionally engaged, and that's impressive for a thriller."
"The title alone is enough to spark a conversation in a year where the political discourse is top of mind," Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, weighs in. "And they couldn't have picked a better date. This movie is perfectly timed in a month that is very quiet."
Dergarabedian adds, "This isn't destined to be a $200 million global blockbuster. But it's a very high-profile win for A24. They're a studio that pushes the envelope. They're a brand associated with a certain level of quality and filmmaking expertise, pushing boundaries and taking risks. It's well-earned over the years."
"Civil War" unseats "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" from the throne as the MonsterVerse movie adds an estimated $15.45 million to its domestic gross. It's followed by "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire", which holds on to the third place with additional $5.8 million.
"Kung Fu Panda 4" trails behind with an estimated $5.5 million added to its domestic gross, which has now reached $173.7 million. "Dune: Part Two", meanwhile, rises one place from No. 6 to No. 5 with approximately $4.3 million.
Top 10 of North American Box Office (Apr. 12-14, 2024):
- "Civil War" - $25.7 million
- "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" - $15.45 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" (2024 Re-release) - $1.35 million
- "SUGA | Agust D TOUR 'D-DAY' THE MOVIE" - $990,881
