Will ‘Alien: Romulus’ Keep Disney’s Summer Box Office Momentum Going?

The forthcoming release of “Alien: Romulus” is projected to make a remarkable impact at the box office, with estimates ranging from $28 million to $38 million for its opening weekend. Industry insiders and independent trackers are even more optimistic, predicting that initial earnings could reach $40 million or $50 million.

Should these higher forecasts prove accurate, the film will contribute to Disney’s remarkable summer performance, following the successes of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” (the top movie of May with $397 million), “Inside Out 2” (June’s highest earner at $1.59 billion), and “Deadpool & Wolverine” (July’s leading film with $1.03 billion).

By August, Disney became the first studio of 2024 to surpass $3 billion in global ticket sales, with more big releases slated, including “Moana 2” (Nov. 27) and “Mufasa: The Lion King” (Dec. 20). “Alien: Romulus” will be the weekend’s sole major new release, following the removal of Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2” from the schedule after its predecessor underperformed with only $32 million globally.

While “Alien: Romulus” is set to dominate the box office, competition for second place is expected between “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “It Ends With Us.” The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman-led “Deadpool & Wolverine” is projected to earn $25 million to $27 million in its fourth weekend and is approaching the $1 billion global mark, set to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever.

Conversely, “It Ends With Us,” featuring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, is anticipated to gross $23 million to $28 million in its second weekend, following a strong $50 million debut. Originally planned for Hulu, “Alien: Romulus” was shifted to a theatrical release, with a production budget of $80 million, excluding marketing costs.

Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film is the seventh installment in the sci-fi horror franchise that began with Ridley Scott’s 1979 “Alien.” Set between “Alien” and its 1986 sequel “Aliens,” the latest film centers on young colonists encountering a deadly life form on a derelict space station.