Wolverine will have to be content with one week at the top of the American box office charts, because a giant ape has arrived to snatch the crown. Kong: Skull Island launched in the US with $61 million, according to studio estimates.
While it might not be quite the box office behemoth that the people behind a pricey $180 million-plus production cost might have hoped, it's still a solid kick-off for the movie, which combined with its overseas earnings has made more than $142 million worldwide. Despite earning some more positive critical reactions, Kong still couldn't best 2014's Godzilla, which launched with more than $93 million in the US.
Logan fell one place to second, but added $37.8 million, which indicates this one should continue to earn decent figures for a while. But doing even better (in budget-to-box office terms) is Get Out, with the timely horror pic adding screens and sailing past the $100 million mark after adding $21 million this weekend – all on a $4.5 million budget.
The Shack dropped to fourth, bringing in $10 million, while The Lego Batman Movie was pushed to fifth on $7.8 million. Metaphysical teen drama Before I Fall stayed in place at sixth on $3.1 million, while Hidden Figures likewise held at seventh, earning $2.76 million.
John Wick: Chapter Two has begun to fall down the charts, slipping to eighth and $2.7 million, while La La Land took advantage of its Oscar haul (and the added publicity of the Best Picture snafu) to slightly boost its screen count and jump back up to ninth via $1.7 million. The musical, which cost around $30 million to make, has so far earned more than $148 million in the States alone. And finally, at 10th, preparing to leave the top 10, Fifty Shades Darker made $1.6 million.