In a world where superhero films and features have dominated the box office for years, Kaiju movies are coming to take center stage in recent times. Just days ago it was the Japanese kaiju tale Godzilla Minus One that rocked the cinematic world with its brilliant storyline and even more amazing graphics, bagging the Best Visual Effects Oscar in the process. And now it is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
The newest edition to the Monsterverse, the movie has had a spectacular opening at the box office, and if the box office details hold any weight, a new age of Kaiju films might be upon us.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Is Yet Another Brilliant Kaiju Entry
The Kaiju movies in the past years might not have performed as well but come 2023, the mythos has done exceptionally well at the box office. After the shocking and mindblowing edition of the Japanese film by Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus One, the latest Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has been a well-appreciated addition.
While its critical reviews might not be as good (see Rotten Tomatoes), the box-office results so far seem to suggest otherwise. As per ABC News, the Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry-starrer movie opened with a shocking $80 million in North America, just a bit short of the sci-fi flick Dune Part Two.
Even though predictions were stating the movie would only manage to collect close to $50 million, Godzilla x Kong’s $194 million worldwide opening has exceeded expectations in the most shocking way (see Deadline). Coming just less than 4 months after the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, it is shocking, to say the least, the reception the Legendary and Warner Bros venture has received.
And so in light of the back-to-back success of both movies, it seems the audience is still as interested in the tale. And the box office results only signify that Godzilla x Kong might have ushered in a new era for kaiju movies.
How Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s Success Signals a New Era for Kaiju Flicks
It’s no secret that the kaiju genre has been saturated in recent years, with multiple Godzilla-centered films and series, as well as other kaiju-related content, being released. This saturation poses the question of whether audiences have grown tired of these types of movies, but the success of Godzilla x Kong seems to indicate otherwise.
Released just months after Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s box office success so far seems to trigger a new era for Kaiju flicks. While the Japanese movie is more of a humane and original approach to the monster, Godzilla x Kong seems to be more of a fantasy take on the tale. Yet the success of both movies, especially the latter’s success at the global box office only suggests that the audience has not lost the appetite for monster flicks.
And even fans seem to agree with the fact that a new dawn of kaiju tales is upon us, for despite the recently released Godzilla Minus One, fans are still eager to squander money and willing to pay for expensive formats like IMAX to enjoy the tale.
“The best part of GODZILLA X KONG’s success is that it comes less than four months after GODZILLA MINUS ONE broke all respective records. That these opposing films live in the same space is something to celebrate and testament to putting faith in the audience. Long live the King.”
