‘Kong: Skull Island’ Tops $500 Million at Worldwide Box Office

(Variety) King Kong is still a box office giant. “Kong: Skull Island” has crossed the $500 million mark at the worldwide box office.

It’s the third 2017 title to hit the milestone, after Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and Fox’s “Logan.” Production companies Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, and Tencent Pictures made the announcement Thursday.

The domestic total has topped $150 million in its first four weeks, while the international take has reached $358.7 million, led by $123 million in China. “Kong: Skull Island” took in $22.5 million on its opening day in China, the second-largest English-language film launch of the year in the country, behind “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter,” and the fifth-biggest Friday debut ever for a U.S. title in the Middle Kingdom.

It’s also become the highest grosser of all time in Vietnam, one of the movie’s primary filming locations.

Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and Brie Larson star in “Kong: Skull Island,” a reboot of the King Kong franchise set on an uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean. The film, directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, carries a hefty $185 million price tag.

Critics have lauded the film’s visual effects and fast-paced story. The movie comes 84 years after the original “King Kong,” starring Robert Armstrong and Fay Wray.

“Kong: Skull Island” is the second installment in Legendary and Warner Bros.’ “MonsterVerse” series, following 2014’s “Godzilla,” which grossed $529.1 million globally on a $160 million budget. “Godzilla 2” hits theaters on March, 22, 2019, and “Godzilla vs. Kong” is slated for May 21, 2020.

Source: Variety by Dave McNary