Mortal Kombat II pulled in $5.2 million in Thursday previews as the sequel based on the Midway video game headed into its first full day in theaters. Showtimes began at 3 p.m., and every dollar of the preview haul came from Thursday night.
The preview total puts Mortal Kombat II in position for a domestic opening around $40 million to $42 million, after forecasts for the film came down into the $40 millions on Friday afternoon. New Line has an $80 million budget riding on the release, which is opening in 3,503 theaters and playing in all premium formats.
For the studio, the first-night number is solid but not untouchable. A year earlier, Final Destination Bloodlines made $5.5 million in previews and went on to open to $51.6 million, a reminder that preview cash can point to a bigger weekend when audience momentum builds after Thursday night.
The comparison also cuts the other way. The 2021 Mortal Kombat opened to $23.3 million domestically and finished with $42.3 million domestically, but that release was hit by a Covid-era day-and-date run on HBO Max that undercut its theatrical box office. This time, the sequel arrives with a cleaner run and a chance to outpace the earlier film’s domestic total in a single weekend if it lands near the high end of the forecast.
Mortal Kombat II is also chasing The Devil Wears Prada 2 for the No. 1 box-office spot, which makes the next 24 hours the real test. The preview number says the movie has an audience. Friday and Saturday will show whether it has enough pull to turn that start into a wide-opening win.
