'Mortal Kombat' Breaks Highest-Opening Box Office Record Amid Pandemic; Warner Bros. Wins!
Only a few days after its debut, "Mortal Kombat" is already establishing hard-to-break box-office records.
This week, theaters finally earned more than what they expected during a pandemic, thanks to the arrival of "Mortal Kombat."
In a new report by Comscore, the R-rated live-action reboot beat "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" at the North American box office. According to Associated Press, "Mortal Combat earned $22.5 million for this week, while the "Demon Slayer" movie reached $19.5 million.
This week, ticket sales went over $54.2 million in ticket sales, becoming the best weekend for movie theaters since the pandemic began. The number came from over 3,073 venues which only take 55 percent of the cinemas across the country.
Aside from its recent financial success, the martial arts-inspired adaptation marked the second time Warner Bros. reached the milestone in the past year. For what it's worth, "Godzilla vs. Kong" set a pandemic-best debut with a $48.5 million opening within five days.
Thank you so much to all the fans! I am eternally grateful for all the positive comments and “constructive” criticisms we’ve received this weekend! Know that we are listening, and if we are blessed enough to go forward, will keep getting better (and hopefully bigger)! pic.twitter.com/VzskOnp0Pf
— Todd Garner (@Todd_Garner) April 25, 2021
The simultaneous success of two Warner Bros. films gave hope to the public ahead of the Academy Awards this weekend. In addition, it gave way and hope to the upcoming films this summer, including "A Quiet Place Part II" and "Cruella" from Walt Disney company.
"Mortal Kombat" Also Gets Nods Internationally
While its North American earnings are already impressive, "Mortal Kombat" also did well in international theaters.
The New Line film scored $27.6 million overseas despite most countries' theaters still closed down. To be exact, only 37 foreign territories are already observing limited cinema capacities. It still served as a powerful punch in both the international and local markets.
David A. Gross of FranchiseRe told Variety how "Mortal Kombat" and "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" became the hope of the industry.
"This weekend is another very good step," he said. "Moviegoing should start to normalize in early June."
READ ALSO: 'Mortal Kombat' Full Movie: 5 Most Shocking Moments in R-Rated Trailer
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.' president of domestic distribution also applauded "Mortal Combat" for winning people's trust despite the pandemic.
"It's evident that 'Godzilla vs. Kong' is reigniting moviegoing everywhere and that audiences are more than ready to return to theaters, where and when it's safe, for a big screen experience like this one," he went on.
As of the writing, the top 5 domestic opening weekends for films since March 2020 include "Godzilla vs. Kong," "Mortal Kombat," "Tenet," "Demon Slayer," and "Wonder Woman 1984."
"The Croods: A New Age," "Tom & Jerry," "Raya and the Last Dragon," "The New Mutants," and "Nobody" completes the top 10.
