GODZILLA VS. KONG Now Looking At $100M+ Overseas Debut As It Nears $50M In China

Godzilla Vs. Kong is set to release in theaters and on HBO Max on March 31, but Legendary's latest Monster-Verse movie opened in China on Friday, and now looks set to become the first pandemic-era blockbuster to take in some serious coin at the box office.

After its strong China bow, GVK made another estimated $28 million (RMB 183.5M) on Saturday (a 33% increase from Friday’s takings), bringing its total to just under $50M. Initial estimates suggested that the Adam Wingard-helmed monster mash could be looking at a $90M+ international debut, but Deadline reckons it's now more likely to reach $100M.

Great news for the studio, and a positive sign that we'll be able to safely return to theaters... at some point.

Early social media reactions to the movie were mostly very positive, but some full reviews were a little harder on the massive crossover event. The embargo hasn't officially lifted in all locations, however, so we won't get a proper read on the critical reception for another few days.

The GVK synopsis reads: “Legends collide as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans—instigated by unseen forces—is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.”

Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Shun Oguri, Jessica Henwick and Brian Tyree Henry, Godzilla Vs. Kong pits the two famous monsters against each other in an epic battle. Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (The Terror) wrote the screenplay.