After releasing two underperformers this year in Love Lies Bleeding and Problemista, A24 has their first bonafide smash of 2024 with the timely Civil War, taking the #1 spot with an estimated $25,712,608 million from 3,838 domestic screens ($6,699K PSA). This is an extraordinary number which the studio was quick to note buried most prior tracking estimates. Some outlets were even predicting a tight race to #1 between Civil War and Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, but the latter film fell to #2 with $15,450,000 million. A24 did all this with a “B-” CinemaScore and 76% Rotten Tomatoes audience score. Here’s the 3-day breakdown:

• Friday – $10,817,252 million
• Saturday – $8,761,974 million
• Sunday – $6,133,382 million

According to Deadline, the audience was mostly male at 73% with the biggest demo in the 18-34 age bracket (36% age 25-34). Here’s how the demos played out…

• 50% Caucasian
• 24% Latino and Hispanic
• 12% Black
• 8% Asian
• 6% other

A reported 16.5% of that domestic total came from 400 IMAX screens with $4.2M. The global IMAX total for the thriller was $5M on 530 screens, although that international number will increase by 160 screens next weekend when Civil War opens in France, Germany, India, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland, and Scandinavia.

Directed by Alex Garland, Civil War posits a near-future America where several states are violently seceding, causing massive upheaval. The biggest victory the film claimed this weekend was boasting A24’s largest opening weekend ever. For reference, here were the previous top five…

• Hereditary (2018) – $13,575,173 million
• The Witch (2016) – $8,800,230 million
• The Green Knight (2021) – $6,745,121 million
• Midsommar (2019) – $6,560,030 million
• The Iron Claw (2023) – $4,868,370 million

While those releases may have had solid-ish openings, A24’s typical strategy is to platform and build on word of mouth and/or critical acclaim. The 12-year-old company has had a great deal of success with this slow-and-steady strategy, putting out unconventional films that went on to great domestic success ala Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once ($77.1M) and Uncut Gems ($50M). While Civil War is also the company’s most expensive movie ever at a reported production cost of $50 million, it stands a good chance of surpassing Everything Everywhere to become the studio’s highest domestic grosser in the weeks to come.

It is also easily Garland’s highest opener to date as a director…

• Ex Machina (2015) – $5,349,499 million (3rd weekend, 1st wide)
• Annihilation (2018) – $11,071,584 million
• Men (2022) – $3,293,030 million
• Civil War (2024) – $25,712,608 million

All but one of those films (Annihilation) was released by A24. Garland’s general mode tends to be towards social science fiction with bleak, Twilight Zone-esque twists. He’s been carrying this tonal torch from his earliest screenplay for the revolutionary zombie classic 28 Days Later through his Emmy-nominated FX television miniseries Devs. His title premise for Civil War may have struck home because the idea of a modern-day coup from within may have alternately appealed to and terrified different segments of the country, hence A24’s strategy to go as wide as possible rather than catering to NY/LA first. Despite overtures that Garland is “not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future,” he will reportedly next co-direct an Iraq-based military drama titled Warfare for A24, with filming set to commence next month. It is doubtful the shingle wants to let Garland go anytime soon if they can help it.

Other Notable Performances

Mucho Mas Releasing’s The Long Game, the true story of a Mexican high school golf team that defied prejudice to become Texas state champions in 1957, debuted with $1,390,000 million on 1030 screens to place #8 on the charts. The film stars Jay Hernandez, Cheech Marin, and Dennis Quaid.

Well Go USA managed to creepy crawl its arachnid-themed indie horror flick Sting into the top ten at #10 with $1.2M on 1,350 screens. Although the horror community came out for this one over the 3-day, with mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (70% critical/71% audience) don’t expect this spider to climb any higher up the water spout.

Sunday’s Studio Weekend Estimates: