Everybody loves it when monsters fight, but it’s even better when monsters are friends. That could be the lesson to take from the huge success of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the MonsterVerse franchise, which has surpassed expectations to have this year’s second-best opening weekend at the box office thus far. Only “Dune: Part Two” made more in its opening weekend, and “The New Empire” is already substantially ahead of its MonsterVerse predecessor, 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong.”
For those people who aren’t catching it in theaters, though, when will the latest monster melee featuring Godzilla, King Kong and their superfluous human supporting cast be available to watch at home? Here’s everything we know so far about the forthcoming streaming debut of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”
When will 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' stream on Max?
It’s tough to make a comparison between “The New Empire” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” because when “Godzilla vs. Kong” was released in March 2021, movie theaters were still just starting to open on a limited basis following COVID-19 pandemic closures. At that time, the company then known as WarnerMedia made a commitment to release all of its films for the year simultaneously in theaters and on the streaming service then called HBO Max. So anyone who wanted to watch “Godzilla vs. Kong” at home had the chance to do so right away.
Things are quite different in 2024, both for the company now known as Warner Bros. Discovery and for streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max). These days, major Warner Bros. blockbusters like “The New Empire” stay in theaters for 30-45 days to maximize potential ticket sales before being released at home. There’s also a window of VOD availability before films arrive for subscribers on Max. Last year’s massive Warner Bros. hit “Barbie” stayed in theaters for more than 45 days before its PVOD release for at-home rental, and it was another three months beyond that before it hit Max.
With fellow 2024 Warner Bros. hit “Dune: Part Two” projected for a mid-May PVOD release, “The New Empire” is likely to follow the same pattern, meaning it would be available to rent in mid-May as well. It will probably take a bit longer for it to land on Max, although it may arrive more quickly than “Barbie” did.
Either way, a summer Max premiere date seems like a good bet. Given their similar theatrical release dates and similar box-office success, “Dune: Part Two” and “The New Empire” should continue those similarities for home viewing, so you can plan for an at-home double feature of two of 2024’s biggest hit movies on Max this summer.
