When Alex Garland makes a sci-fi film, you can count on one extraordinary experience be happy. As a screenwriter, he was involved in works such as 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Dredd. He directed Ex Machina, Extinction and Men. His biggest project to date started in the USA last week.
We’re talking about Civil War, a dystopian journalism thriller that takes you to a not-so-distant future in the USA a civil war broke out is. The film was controversial in advance due to its timing. At the start it was even more convincing at the box office.
Alex Garland’s controversial sci-fi war film Civil War tops the box office charts, beating Godzilla x Kong
As the Hollywood Reporter reports, Civil War was able to open on its opening weekend $25 million in the USA and dethrone Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Compared to the numbers that a Marvel blockbuster brings in at the start, that doesn’t look like much. But let’s look at the bigger picture.
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Civil War
Civil War is not a $200 million production from one of the big Hollywood film studios. The film is distributed by Indie rental company A24known for critically acclaimed films like Past Lives, Minari and Moonlight as well as cleverly marketed genre gems like Midsommar and The Lighthouse.
With Civil War, A24 could now two box office records set up:
Clever marketing and timing: With Civil War, A24 dared its first blockbuster test run
This success is not a given. Civil War is not based on any well-known brand, but tells an original story. Additionally, the film has a budget of $50 million the most expensive so farthat A24 has ever brought to the cinema. As Variety notes, the investment may already be worth it.
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Civil War
Not only was Civil War able to recoup half of its budget at launch. A24 already has that Rights in many international markets sold. The film is therefore likely to become profitable before its theatrical release is complete. A24’s plan to bring more expensive projects to the cinema from now on seems to be working.
As with many other A24 films, a clever marketing campaign and timing of release proves to be the key to success. Civil War is coming to cinemas in the USA during an election year and at first glance seems like a film that meets the zeitgeistin which he expands on the politically tense situation with genre elements.
A24 has also positioned Civil War as a blockbuster and even enabled an IMAX release in the USA. Although the budget cannot keep up with Dune: Part Two and Co., the film exudes the aura of a cinema event that cannot be missed and that is tailor-made to dominate the film discourse in the coming weeks.
Sci-Fi war film: When does Civil War start in Germany?
After Civil War opened in the USA last week, we won’t have to wait much longer until Alex Garland’s new film comes to Germany. Already on Thursday, April 18, 2024, Civil War is taking over the big screen here. The cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny, who recently shined in Priscilla and will soon be leading the new Alien film.