Just like its titular creature does to the city of San Francisco, Godzilla moved into the nicest part of the weekend box office and immediately raised the cost of living there, setting the bar at an insane $93.2 million. It’s the second-highest debut of the year (in between Captain America and Amazing Spider-Man), and it was definitely more than enough to force Neighbors to relocate to a second place apartment, where Neighbors groused that it remembered when the box office was cool—when you could have parties and smoke weed with Seth Rogen, and everyone just wanted to have a good time, instead of getting flattened by giant lizards. But thanks to Godzilla (and the inflation of 3-D and IMAX ticket prices it brings with it), the box office area has changed, man. It’s all rich computer monsters now.
Disney’s competitive strategy of outsourcing our feel-good sports movies and Jon Hamms to India resulted in a modest debut for Million Dollar Arm, which took in $10.5 million for fourth place. As Box Office Mojo notes, that’s a rather dismal opening for a baseball movie, placing it behind even 2012’s Trouble With The Curve—the rare “feel-bad” sports film, in which the game of baseball is just another thing standing between Clint Eastwood and the sweet embrace of death. Though if it’s any consolation, Million Dollar Arm has already taken in more than Ed. Should Jon Hamm find himself at an industry party with the chimpanzee from Ed, Hamm can definitely hold his head up high.
Finally, James Gray’s The Immigrant was—also like its namesake—welcomed to the land of box-office opportunity by being shunted off to the ghetto of very limited release, given just three screens to subsist on by The Weinstein Company. Still, its incredibly strong reviews suggest that The Immigrant will lead a vibrant life in that small neighborhood, which isn’t in danger of being gentrified by ginormous monsters anytime soon.
For more detailed numbers, visit Box Office Mojo.