“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” dominated the weekend box office with a $56.5 million North American opening, providing a much-needed boost to an uncertain season in theaters. The film, produced by 20th Century Studios and Disney, is a continuation of the rebooted “Apes” trilogy from the 2010s and had the third highest opening of the year, following “Dune: Part Two” and “Kung Fu Panda 4.”
The strong performance of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” comes just a week after the disappointing start of Ryan Gosling’s “The Fall Guy,” which hinted at a potential drop-off in the summer of 2024 after the success of “Barbenheimer” in 2023. “The Fall Guy” fell to second place with $13.7 million, while Zendaya’s “Challengers” took third with $4.7 million.
Directed by “Maze Runner” director Wes Ball, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” had the second best opening in the series, behind 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” The franchise, which began in 1968 with Charlton Heston’s original film, has demonstrated remarkable longevity, with the new film sharing no central actors or characters with its predecessors.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, attributed the franchise’s success to its ability to blend sci-fi, social commentary, and entertainment. The film received strong reviews and positive buzz, particularly for its visual effects and the improvement in CGI since the last installment in 2017.
Despite the success of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” the movie business faces uncertainty in the upcoming summer. The year so far, lacking an early Marvel movie, is running 21% behind last year’s mid-May total. While some potential blockbusters, such as “Despicable Me 4” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” seem like safe bets, others, like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “Twisters,” could go either way.
Dergarabedian noted that even Pixar, once a guarantee of success, may not see the same level of success with “Inside Out 2” as the original film in 2015. He added that the movie industry can no longer rely on sure bets and that the summer slate will likely be a mix of hits and misses.
Take a look at the big draws —
1. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” $56.5 million.
2. “The Fall Guy,” $13.7 million.
3. “Challengers,” $4.7 million.
4. “Tarot,” $3.45 million.
5. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $2.5 million.
6. “Unsung Hero,” $ 2.25 million.
7. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $2 million.
8. “Civil War,” $1.8 million.
9. “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace,” $1.5 million.
10. “Abigail,” $1.1 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.