The provocative film “Civil War” defeats “Godzilla x Kong” and scores victory at the box office

Alex Garland’s provocative “Civil War” not only ignited the discourse. The film also inspired audiences to go to the movies this weekend when it surpassed expectations and grossed $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America, the studio estimated Sunday.

It’s the biggest PG-17 release of the year and a record for A24, the studio behind films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “The Iron Claw.”

“Civil War” also displaced “Godzilla x Kong” from the top spot at the box office. The titanic film from Warner Bros. maintained the first place the last two weekends.

“Civil War” stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny as frontline journalists in the near future covering a devastating conflict in the United States and trying to make their way to Washington, D.C.

The story, written by Garland, who is the mind behind “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation,” imagines an America in which California and Texas have united against a president who disbanded the FBI and stayed for a third term.

Although it is entirely fiction, “Civil War” has inspired debates since the first trailer came out that have extended beyond the musings of film critics and traditional reviews. This weekend, The New York Times published two op-eds related to the film, one written by Stephen Marche and the other by Michelle Goldberg. Articles were also published on CNN and Politico.

Below are estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at the U.S. and Canadian box office, according to Comscore.

1. “Civil War,” $25.7 million.
2. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”, 15.5 millones.
3. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”, 5.8 millones.
4. “Kung Fu Panda 4”, 5.5 million.
5. “Dune: Part Two”, 4.3 millones.
6. “Monkey Man,” 4.1 million.
7. “The First Omen”, 3.8 millones.
8. “The Long Game”, 1.4 millones.
9. “Shrek 2”, 1.4 million.
10. “SUGA – Agust D Tour ‘D-DAY’ The Movie”, 990.881 dólares.