Although almost all films have been delayed due to the pandemic, Warner Bros. took the unusual step of launching “Godzilla vs. Kong ”two months ahead of schedule.
The legendary monsters will face each other on March 26, instead of May 21, in theaters and on the streaming service HBO Max.
Legendary Entertainment, the producer behind “Godzilla vs. Kong”, recently got into a public feud with Warner Bros., threatening to file a lawsuit against the studio’s decision to send all of its 2021 films to HBO Max on the same day of his theatrical debut. Legendary was frustrated, in part because Warner Bros. had already blocked Netflix’s $ 250 million offer to buy the monster movie. However, the two companies reportedly resolved frustrations and established a launch strategy that satisfied both parties.
“Godzilla vs. Kong ”is priced at around $ 160 million, which means that the action adventure and science fiction will find it difficult to profit from ticket sales alone. Asian countries can be a saving grace, as monster movies tend to be popular abroad. In addition, HBO Max is only available in the United States, so the international audience will not have to debate whether to broadcast the film at home or watch it on the big screen. But even so, Legendary has rights in China, Japan and other international territories, so Warner Bros. may not even benefit from “Godzilla vs. Kong ”to achieve blockbuster status abroad.
Warner Bros. first tested its hybrid launch plan last December “Wonder Woman 1984”. The superhero sequel has generated $ 132 million globally so far. This may be a strong count for pandemic patterns, but it is a disheartening result for a film that cost $ 200 million to produce and many, many millions to sell worldwide.
Adam Wingard directed “Godzilla vs. Kong, ”the fourth entry into Legendary’s monster universe after“ Godzilla ”2004,“ Kong: Skull Island ”2017 and“ Godzilla: King of the Monsters ”2019. The next crossover event – starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry – pit the otherworldly giants against each other in an epic battle.