According to sources, the latest installment in the Planet of the Apes franchise, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, has had a promising start with previews raking in around $6.5 million. This includes earnings from Thursday night showings that began accumulating at 3 PM, as well as approximately $1.6 million from Wednesday fan screenings that kicked off at 7 PM.
It is anticipated that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes could set a new record for the best Thursday night opening for an Apes movie, surpassing the $5 million garnered by War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. The latter went on to achieve a $22.1 million Friday and a $56.2 million opening weekend.
Directed by Wes Ball and rated PG-13, this sequel takes place 300 years after the events depicted in Matt Reeves’ War for the Planet of the Apes. So far, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has outperformed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes in terms of Thursday night earnings. The latter brought in $4.25 million and went on to secure a $27.6 million Friday and an impressive $72.6 million in its opening weekend, setting a domestic debut record for the franchise.
With an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audience members alike, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes seems to be off to a solid start. Considering that it is attracting positive reviews, there is hope that the movie will continue to draw in audiences over the weekend.
The results of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ preview night stand in stark contrast to the $3.15 million brought in by Universal’s Fall Guy last weekend. Despite having a lackluster opening weekend of $27.7 million, the latest Apes movie seems to be faring better and could potentially have a more successful run.
The initial reception of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes appears to be positive, with the movie showing promise for a successful box office performance. With a strong start in previews and favorable critical reviews, it will be interesting to see how the film fares over the rest of its opening weekend.