After just one week at the top of the domestic box office, Mortal Kombat slipped back into second position behind Demon Slayer: Mugen Train as the latter continued to cement itself as an international phenomenon, with the highest-grossing anime ever further swelling its coffers to sit on a global haul of over $428 million.
While there’s no shame in spending a solitary frame at the head of the pack, the video game reboot suffered a drop of 73% to bring in $6.2 million, which is steep even by the standards of the COVID-19 era. By comparison, Warner Bros.’ last hybrid release Godzilla vs. Kong saw earnings take a 58% hit in the second weekend it was playing in theaters, but at the end of the day, Mortal Kombat is still going to be profitable for the studio.
That being said, the martial arts actioner hasn’t really taken off internationally quite yet, with less than half of the movie’s $66 million worldwide total coming from overseas territories despite the fact that it was released into foreign markets two weeks earlier. The steep drop can at least be partially attributed to the simultaneous HBO Max debut, with fans who enjoyed the pic the first time out capable of revisiting it for a second or even third time from the comfort of their own homes.
The mixed critical reaction may have also played a part, with the bumper opening weekend potentially a result of longtime Mortal Kombat fans rushing to check it out on the biggest screen possible, while more casual audiences have been less than enamored. Whatever way you want to look at it, though, the film has been a genuine success, and sequels are an inevitability based on nothing but the profit margins.
