After a strong start at the box office, 20th Century Studios' Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is primed to turn a profit.
Following the footsteps of the previous Planet of the Apes trilogy during the 2010s, Kingdom tells a new story set in the distant future of the same universe.
Similar to Avatar: The Way of Water, this is another big-budget sequel that was previously distributed by 20th Century Fox but is now owned by Disney. In 2022, that worked out well for the House of Mouse, with Avatar 2 earning $2.3 billion worldwide.
How Much Has Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Made So Far?
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes outperformed industry projects with a stellar $58.4 million opening weekend domestically. That's the third-highest opening in franchise history, behind 2001's Planet of the Apes and 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
Its second weekend was another indication of this being a worldwide box office hit.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes grossed $26 million during its second weekend at the domestic box office, a -55.5% drop from opening.
It now sits at $237.5 million worldwide, with $136.3 million coming from international markets during its first 10 days in theaters.
The highest-grossing Apes film is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, totaling a $710.6 million global haul.
While Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is far from that mountaintop, its quick start points to a wildly successful film for the studio.
How the New Planet of the Apes Can Be Profitable
For Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes to become profitable, it generally needs to earn roughly double its budget or more at the global box office, factoring in marketing costs that are less transparent than the production budget.
Beyond theaters, additional revenue will eventually come from digital sales, subscription video on demand, and future TV rights.
Fortunately, for Disney and 20th Century Studios, the continued earnings from these sources may not be necessary for Kingdom to achieve profitability.
Will Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Be Profitable?
Director Wes Ball exclusively told The Direct that the budget for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was a "pretty sizable" difference from the most recent films.
In this case, he meant it was much cheaper than previous installments due to "the nature of the box office going down" over the past five years.
According to Variety, this is correct, with the previous two Planet of the Apes films costing $190 million compared to Kingdom's $160 million budget.
Ball confirmed a great sense of approval from the studio, stating they "employed [the budget] to the best of [their] ability and tried not to compromise in any way."
Based on its current box office run, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will likely net a profit Disney, but it could be close.
The Direct previously projected Kingdom to earn $580 million at the worldwide box office. However, its projections following its second weekend in theaters suggest a total box office haul closer to $410 million.
Once Warner Bros.' Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hits theaters on May 24, Kingdom will likely take a substantial hit. This is especially true as 41% of its global box office total came from IMAX and other premium format screens during its first weekend.
Regardless, even if Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes lands between $400-$450 million worldwide, it is set to turn a slim profit and likely warrant a sequel based on its reduced costs.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is on pace to earn a net profit of between $25 million and $75 million for Disney.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is now playing in theaters.
Read more about Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes below:
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Streaming: When Will It Release Online?
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Reviews: Critics Share Strong First Reactions
Planet of the Apes Movies in Order: All 10 Films & How to Watch
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Producer Spoils Caesar's Key Role In Sequel
