Exodus: Gods and Kings is the title to replace the latest crowned king of the box office, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. Exodus premiered on Friday, 12 December 2014, and it announced to lead the weekend box office from the very first day, when it got about $8.6 million. Fox’s adventure drama counted 3,503 theaters in the day of its release and doubtlessly topped the last weeks’ favorite in the charts.
A Variety box office article announced even greater news for Ridley Scott’s picture, with predictions reaching the total sum of $25 million weekend debut. Comparing figures with last year’s top of the chart The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug equals with an obvious minus for Exodus, but we have to wait for the official figures at the end of the weekend in order to draw any conclusions. With the Battle of Five Armies releasing next week, it is easy to deduce that this is the top weekend for Exodus.
Exodus: Gods and Kings is the clash of two major figures in the history of mankind: leader Moses and Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses. Christian Bale portrays Moses, which is quite an historic leap from Batman, or on a more recent note, the role of Irving Rosenfeld in the crime drama movie American Hustle of 2013. Almighty Ramses is interpreted by The Great Gatsby’s Joel Edgerton. Cast also includes names like: Ben Kingsley (Nun), John Turturro (Seti), Aaron Paul (Joshua) or Sigourney Weaver as Tuya. The above mentioned Variety article pointed at harsh critics in regard to character-actor relationships condemning the picture for its all-white cast. The Tweet of 21st Century Fox CEO and media mogul Rupert Murdoch defeated the cast as remarked: ‘’Since when are Egyptians not white? All I know are.’’
Top Five is another release of Friday, 12 December 2014, and it hit the top five of the box office in that very day with $2.5 million. The Chris Rock comedy traces a comedian trying to become a serious actor and stars Chris Rock and Rosario Dawson.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, although second place in the Friday charts, scored a much lower total in comparison with the new lead: the sum shares about $3.7 million. As it seems, this weekend’s box office will bring about major changes, of both lead titles and figures in contrast with the last three weeks, which were all The Hunger Games ruled.
1. Exodus: Gods and Kings – $8,625,000
2. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1- $3,790,000
3. Top Five – $2,500,000
4. Penguins of Madagascar – $1,570,000
5. Interstellar – $1,490,000