Despite a so-so 54% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire managed to exceed expectations with a mighty $80 million opening weekend. As we write this, it's now earned over $360 million worldwide, an impressive feat for the MonsterVerse's latest movie.
Where do we go from here? Well, filmmaker Adam Wingard's hope to make a trilogy is beginning to look increasingly likely.
"This is certainly an exciting result," Mary Parent, Chairman of Worldwide Production for Legendary, tells The Hollywood Reporter. "We are in a good position to continue the journey, but let’s see how Godzilla x Kong unfolds. These are early days, but we are certainly feeling good."
Warner Bros. Domestic President of Production Jeff Goldstein was similarly pleased, telling the trade: "It’s unusual for any movie that’s the fourth or fifth sequel to do this kind of business. In the past Godzilla drew a more general audience. This was a spectacular movie, a spectacular marketing campaign and a spectacular date."
Parent adds, "Everyone made this film out of love. And we spent less on this movie than any of the other film."
She's not lying either because Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire cost only $135 million compared to a $150 million - $175 million spend for previous instalments. That increases the studio's profits and likely makes another movie a guarantee.
For Parent, "these characters have permeated the culture," and there's no denying the popularity of the Titans.
Talking last month about potentially making a follow-up to Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Wingard said, "There’s always the seduction of making a trilogy out of it, and I think that there’s some untapped areas to go into."
"There’s also ways to continue to innovate the stylized approach to the MonsterVerse, and what’s great about the MonsterVerse is that it’s allowed so many different directors to approach it with their unique style and color palette."
"Obviously, I wouldn’t make this decision until we see how The New Empire performs at the box office, but I would definitely have some interest in doing another one of these," the director continued. "There’s a way to continue to innovate, and as a director, it would be exciting because I would take an even different approach next time."
We're certainly intrigued to see where the next chapter will go; do Godzilla and Kong continue to work as allies or is a full-blown rematch long overdue? And who could they square off with after overcoming the likes of Mechagodzilla and Skar King?
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is now playing in theaters.