Overview
- Dan Trachtenberg’s film opened with an estimated $40 million domestically and $80 million worldwide, topping the franchise’s previous non-inflation record held by 2004’s Alien vs. Predator.
- The debut surged past pre-release tracking of roughly $25–30 million after a $15.6 million Friday, giving theaters a needed lift following a sluggish October.
- Reception aligned across metrics, with about 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 96% audience score, and a franchise-best A- from CinemaScore.
- Premium formats were a major driver, with Imax and Dolby and other large-format tickets accounting for a substantial share of the domestic gross, aided by the franchise’s first PG-13 rating.
- Studios and analysts say the film still needs strong holds against incoming releases like The Running Man and Wicked: For Good, and although story elements invite sequel or crossover talk, no follow-up has been announced.