The box office of the Covid -19 Pandemic, for lack of a better word, both beat and crippled the movie theater industry. Ever since the introduction of the virus, we’ve seen the grand hundred million debuts championed as the Hollywood norm, gradually shrink and diminish.
Films such as Onward, Tenet , and even Wonder Woman 84 all failed to meet the industry standards set in the pre-Covid times. However Warner Media’s next venture might be its boldest and most lucrative yet.
When Warner Media announced it’s day and date digital and in theaters plan to boost its slick new streaming service HBO Max, it drew the ire of many in the industry. “Selfish!” “They’re trying to murder the industry.” Many actors and filmmakers even employed by Warner Media, especially Christopher Nolan, spoke out in defiance of the plan citing it as both ” artistic and financial sabotage.” But now it might be the industry’s last hope.
With the debut of The latest film in the ‘Monsterverse’ Franchise, “Godzilla vs Kong” opening over the weekend and this Wednesday, things might be looking up. The film gathered a staggering $121.8 Million dollar debut in China. A far cry from the pandemic norm of 34 million for the Middle Kingdom. In face it was the highest international haul/debut of the pandemic, making it very promising that the film might be a path forward. We’ll have to wait and see but with the US domestic pandemic box office averaging at $4-6 million. The bar is low for GVK to smash the record.
Maybe things are looking up, with this titan sized movie on the horizon.
Above and Beyond the Screen 