This weekend’s box office did not live up to expectations for expected start-of-summer blockbuster Godzilla: King of Monsters, but did have some surprises.
The domestic earnings for Godzilla only totaled about $49 million, with the international numbers just as disappointing at $130 million, according to Deadline. This is significantly lower than the previous series’ installment, which took in $93 million in its debut weekend.
Aladdin took home the 2nd place slot of the weekend, still doing well with a $42 million haul adding onto to its $92 million opening. The two films may have been stacked too close to one another for Godzilla to get his share of the limelight, since Disney films are known for consistently bringing in the big numbers with their wide-reaching appeal.
The other new releases of the weekend also did well- another barrier to Godzilla truly reigning over all. Rocketman brought in $25 million and Ma surprised with $18 million, both being profitable compared to their lower production costs.
Reviews may have also played a part in swaying audiences towards one film or another. Godzilla is at a 40% critic and 87% user approval, while Rocketman averages at 90% for both users and critics. Ma has a Rotten Tomatoes scores in the mid-60s, much higher than the usual low-budget horror film.
Next weekend adds even more contenders to the mix with Dark Phoenix, Secret Life of Pets 2, and Late Night, so check back to see who takes home the top spots.