Godzilla: King of the Monsters eclipsed other films at the box office this weekend, but it still had a disappointing debut. The new kaiju flick had a mediocre $49 million weekend, Forbes reports.
The original, 2014’s Godzilla, fared far better, launching with $93 million during its debut weekend. It eventually earned $200 million at the domestic box office and $529 million globally, per Variety. The sequel was anticipated to collect $50 to $55 million during its first three days in theaters.
The latest Godzilla is directed by Michael Dougherty and stars Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler, and Vera Farmiga.
The story sees the monster getting into it with Rodan, Mothra, and the infamous King Ghidorah. Dougherty has compared the Godzilla entries to the Alien franchise, specifically likening King of the Monsters to the 1986 sequel Aliens.
"[T]he idea of a team of heroes who are scientists really appealed to me," Dougherty told Collider in a March interview. "This isn't a Marvel film where you people in mech suits or with superpowers getting into endless fist fights. These are just very intelligent, capable people, who are up against impossible odds.”
