“Alien: Romulus” tops Box Office, dethrones “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and Claims title as best horror movie

“Alien: Romulus” from 20th Century Studios, the first film in the iconic 45-year-old franchise released under Disney, has opened strong with a $41.5 million domestic debut, surpassing “Deadpool & Wolverine” for the #1 spot. The film received positive audience reactions, earning 4 out of 5 stars on ComScore’s PostTrak, with 83% giving it a “positive” rating, and a B+ CinemaScore—the best for an “Alien” movie since James Cameron’s “Aliens.” On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 81% Certified Fresh critic score and an 86% audience score.

Despite its solid performance, the movie’s demographic skewed heavily male (70% male vs. 30% female), an unexpected shift given the franchise’s traditionally strong female leads. It also attracted a relatively young audience, with 29% under the age of 25.

Opening Weekend Comparisons for the “Alien” Franchise

“Alien: Romulus” marked the second-highest opening for the “Alien” series:

1. “Prometheus” (2012) – $51M opening
2. “Alien: Romulus” (2024) – $41M opening
3. “AVP: Alien vs. Predator” (2004) – $38.2M opening
4. “Alien: Covenant” (2017) – $36.1M opening

The film performed exceptionally well in Premium Large Format (PLF) theaters, which accounted for 51% of the total box office, with IMAX alone contributing $16.8M globally, representing 15.5% of the global opening weekend total. Disney’s strategy to focus on IMAX and specialty formats played a significant role in turning what was initially planned as a straight-to-Hulu release into a successful theatrical event.

International Performance

Internationally, “Alien: Romulus” grossed $66.7 million, bringing its global total to $108.2 million. The film opened at #1 in several key markets, including France, Italy, Spain, the UK, China, and Korea. Its performance in China was particularly strong, with a $25.7M debut, making it the second-highest non-local opening of 2024 in the market.

Top 5 Foreign Markets:

1. China – $25.7M
2. Korea – $5.4M
3. UK – $4.8M
4. France – $3.8M
5. Mexico – $2.8M

Other Notable Box Office Performances

• “Deadpool & Wolverine” slipped to #2 in its fourth week, earning $29 million domestically for a total of $545.8 million (6th all-time MCU domestic).
• “It Ends With Us” took in $24 million in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $97.785 million.
• “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” crossed the $400 million mark globally, with domestic earnings nearing $200 million.
• “Despicable Me 4” surpassed $500 million internationally, bringing its global total to $847.3 million, making it the #3 movie of 2024 so far.

Overall, “Alien: Romulus” has delivered a strong performance, especially given its original direct-to-streaming plans, and looks set to continue building on its success with potential for further franchise growth.