‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Sets Post-Pandemic Record Debut

‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ box office debut brings hope to the coexistence of streaming services and theaters.

Warner Bros. film “Godzilla Vs. Kong” generated $48.5 million in its first five days, making it the best debut since the onset of COVID-19 last March. Its theatrical release included more theaters than any film since closures and the film was simultaneously released on HBO max with no additional fees. Having such a high theater turnout is great news for the future of entertainment post-pandemic. This proves that people still want to watch movies in theaters and while audience levels may not be at the height that they were pre-COVID-19, they are definitely on the rise.

The success of ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ involves many factors, but its established brand is a notable one. The Legendary monster franchise has been around since 2014, bringing a lot of success to Warner Bros. Consumers trust this established brand and know what to expect – a quality action-packed film. This builds familiarity and makes viewers comfortable, which is extremely important in terms of getting viewers to return to theaters during the pandemic.

There is uncertainty as to whether theatrical debuts will reach the impressive levels hit pre-pandemic, but the ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ debut instills hope for streaming services and theaters to be able to coexist in a rapidly changing industry.