With King Kong, a little swagger returns to the box office

NEW YORK (AP) — Once again, mayhem and mass destruction is back at the box office. It’s almost like old times. “Godzilla vs. Kong,” one of the few tentpoles to dare release during COVID times, is poised this weekend to set a new high in ticket sales during the pandemic. It won’t be the kind of blockbuster business such a popular release would typically manage, but experts forecast a launch of at least $25 million. Opening-day ticket sales on Wednesday for “Godzilla vs. Kong” totaled $9.6 million, a single-day pandemic record and more than most 2020-2021 releases earned opening weekend . Last weekend, the monster mash pulled in an impressive $123.1 million internationally.