‘Civil War’ makes $10.8M box office proclamation; ‘Godzilla’ hits milestone

Steven Olikara When millions of Americans came together to marvel at the stunning solar eclipse, we saw a rare moment of unity amid the darkness of a country torn apart by polarization. Bookending the same week? The release of action-thriller “Civil War,” now the number one film in America and A24 Films’ most successful release yet. Set against the backdrop of an imagined second American Civil War, the film follows photojournalists led by Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), as they capture the horrors of a failed country.

Naman Ramachandran Studiocanal’s Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” stayed atop the U.K. and Ireland box office for the second consecutive weekend with £1.8 million ($2.3 million), according to numbers from Comscore. The film now has a running total of £6.3 million.

remained the top film in theaters in its second week of release, according to studio estimates Sunday.The A24 election-year gamble, the indie studio’s biggest budgeted film yet, took in $11.1 million in ticket sales at 3,929 theaters over the weekend.The $50 million film, set in a near-future US in which Texas and California have joined in rebellion against a fascist president, has grossed $44.9 million in two weeks.Its provocative premise – and A24’s marketing, which included images of US cities ravaged by war – helped keep “Civil War” top of mind for moviegoers.But it was a painfully slow weekend in theaters – the kind sure to add to concern over what’s thus far been a down year for Hollywood at the box office.Year-to-date ticket sales are down almost 20% compared to last year, according to Comscore.Going into the weekend, Universal Pictures’ “Abigail,” a critically acclaimed R-rated horror film about the daughter of Dracula, had been expected to lead ticket sales.It came in second with $10.2 million in 3,384 theaters.That was still a fair result for a film that cost a modest $28 million to make.

J. Kim Murphy It’s a close contest at the domestic box office, with the opening day gross of Universal’s ballerina vampire film “Abigail” leading Lionsgate’s fellow new release “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and the second frame of A24’s dystopian thriller “Civil War.” “Abigail” earned $4 million from 3,384 theaters across its opening day and preview screenings, making it the top performer of the weekend so far.

FRIDAY MIDDAY: Mish mosh at the box office with A24’s weekend two of Civil War at $3.5M today/$11M+ and Universal’s Radio Silence R-rated vampire pic, Abigail with $4M today (that includes $1M previews)/$11M vying for No. 1.

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter Talk about nepo babies. “Abigail,” a blood-sucking thriller about the daughter of Dracula, arguably the most famous vampire in history, is poised to lead at the domestic box office. The R-rated movie, from Universal Pictures, is aiming for $12 million to $15 million from 3,300 North American theaters in its first weekend of release.

With spring break simmering to 8% K-12 on break, and 1% colleges off, it’s hodgepodge at the weekend box office until 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrives to a $50M+ opening during the second weekend of May.

Alex Garland’s bold new political thriller “Civil War” won the box office this weekend, grossing $25 million, the highest opening for an A24 movie ever. Captivating the public with its visceral violence, shocking images, and frightening cautionary tale politics that mirror today’s division, the movie is also earning much acclaim for a brief but chilling performance by Jesse Plemons (“Killers of The Flower Moon”) playing a cold-blooded soldier unnervingly executing civilians at will (read our review).

Jon Stewart mocked Donald Trump on The Daily Show as the former POTUS campaigns and makes a run for the White House amid the hush money criminal trial.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor SPOILER ALERT: This contains major spoilers for the ending of “Civil War,” now playing in theaters. “Civil War” production designer Caty Maxey was tasked with building a dystopian America that showed bombed-out buildings and abandoned cars that stretched for miles on the freeway. It was all part of her creative brief for Alex Garland’s latest film. Garland drops audiences into the middle of “Civil War.” America is no longer united and there are warring factions.

Alex Garland’s provocative “Civil War” didn’t only ignite the discourse.The film also inspired audiences to go to the cinemas this weekend where it surpassed expectations and earned $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.It’s the biggest R-rated opening of the year to date and a record for A24, the studio behind films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “The Iron Claw.”“Civil War” also unseated “Godzilla x Kong” from its perch atop the box office. The titan movie from Warner Bros.

Led by Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Warner Bros has crossed the $1B mark at the international box office, becoming the first studio to reach the milestone this year. Getting there in just 15 weeks, this also sets a new speed record for WB, besting the 17 weeks it took in 2018. The full international estimate through today is $1.04B.

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter Director Alex Garland’s provocative dystopian thriller “Civil War” lit up the box office with $25.7 million in its debut. It’s the first A24 movie to lead the charts in North America, setting an opening weekend record for the New York-based specialty studio. It also marks the biggest R-rated start of the year.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic A great many people appear to have come out of “Civil War,” Alex Garland’s a-house-divided-against-itself-can-kick-highly-equipped-military-ass dystopian combat thriller, feeling all shook up. They’re disturbed by it, unsettled by it. They experience the movie as if it were holding a violent mirror up to the simmering rage of America’s current political/spiritual/ ideological divide.

Civil War is having a huge start for A24!

J. Kim Murphy The box office is united behind “Civil War.” A24‘s dystopian thriller earned$10.7 millionfrom 3,838 locations across its opening day and preview screenings, putting itself on track for a debut of around $26 million. The debut figure represents the highest opening day gross ever for A24, besting the $5.1 million earned by 2018’s “Hereditary” in its first screenings.

For a while now, voices in the mist who’ve had an early peek at Alex Garland’s dystopian thriller Civil War have warned the film might be irresponsible or too incendiary in its brutal depiction of a United States divided and engulfed in war. In the dire future presented in the film, Americans confront each other in military combat within their own cities, on their own doorsteps.Starring Kirsten Dunst as intrepid war photographer Lee Smith, leading a ragtag crew of journalists into combat zones to capture the harrowing stories and images, the movie certainly does not play shy about showing intense, bloody warfare.

The Purge,” and is about 1% as entertaining.“Civil War”’s schtick is that it’s not specifically political. For instance, as the US devolves into enemy groups of secessionist states, Texas and California have banded together to form the Western Forces.

Fresh off its SXSW world premiere, Alex Garland‘s “Civil War” hits theaters today, the latest film in an impressive filmography. So impressive, in fact, with films like “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation” among it, that one may ascertain to call Garland an auteur.

A24‘s Alex Garland political thriller, Civil War, is off to a solid start with $2.9M in Thursday previews, the movie on its way to $20M+ opening. Nobody, rivals nor A24 are complaining about that for what is the studio’s priciest pic — under $60M before P&A.