After underperforming in both North America and most of the world, it looks like the latest Planet of the Apes film has finally found the success it deserves. The Matt Reeves-directed film generated $20 million on its opening day in the Middle Kingdom. This, of course, includes Thursday preview numbers as well. The third installment of the trilogy is currenty on pace for a massive $60 million opening weekend. This would, according to box office insiders, set the film for an overall total of between $120 million and $130 million in China alone! That would mean the blockbuster could very well end up above the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office.
This opening is well above the opening of the previous intallment, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ($47 million opening and $107 milllion overall). Just like that film, War for the Planet of the Apes is also receiving outstanding word of mouth and praise from both Chinese critics and audiences.
Meanwhile Spider-Man Homecoming is set to have an unexpectedly massive drop on its second weekend in China. The Marvel Studios flick dropped a brutal 85% on its second Friday in the Middle Kingdom. It earned $3.1 million down from last Friday's $22.2 million. The current total of the Tom Holland-led film in China is $93.1 million and it is set to have a $12 million second weekend down from its large opening of $70 million. Box office insiders say that it will finish below $120 million there. While that might seem surprising to some, that comes after mixed reception and word of mouth from Chinese audiences. Of course that shouldn't take away from its great success worldwide.
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