After its debut in April 2025, Alex Garland’s “Warfare” didn’t fare exceptionally well at the box office, a result that was somewhat predictable following his success in 2024. The film is a war drama based on the real-life events of Ray Mendoza, a U.S. Navy SEAL whose platoon experienced a tragic incident during the Iraq War in 2006. The movie boasts an impressive cast, including Will Poulter, Kit Connor, Joseph Quinn, Charles Melton, and Michael Gandolfini. It marks Garland’s fifth film as director and his ninth screenplay.
As a supporter of “Warfare”, I’d say that critically speaking, it has truly shone. On Rotten Tomatoes, both critics and audiences seem to agree with a combined score of 93%. The movie’s portrayal of violence and the harsh realities of war, done skillfully and sparingly, has been particularly praised. Unfortunately, when it comes to box office performance, it hasn’t quite met expectations. With an initial investment of $20 million, the film has only managed to gross $17.8 million so far. This means it’s yet to break even. There’s still a chance for “Warfare” to earn more, but it seems it may need to accept both its victories and defeats in this financial battle.
How Much Warfare Has Made At The Box Office Compared To Civil War
Warfare Will Never Catch Up To Civil War Financially
The box office performance of ‘Warfare’ is noticeably less impressive when put side by side with the earnings of ‘Civil War’, Garland’s previous film. While ‘Warfare’ has managed to gather $17.8 million so far, ‘Civil War’ made an astounding $127 million. Despite being newly released, ‘Civil War’ outperformed ‘Warfare’ significantly during its opening weekend, with $25.7 million compared to ‘Warfare’s’ $8.3 million. Thus, ‘Warfare’ has begun on a much weaker note than ‘Civil War’, and it appears that it is struggling to gain the momentum needed to rival its predecessor.
In simpler terms, it seems unlikely that Warfare will surpass the financial success of Civil War. Good reviews may boost a movie’s visibility after its initial release, but in this case, even positive reviews won’t be enough for Warfare. After two weekends, Warfare has only earned $17 million, while Civil War had already made $44 million at the same point. This indicates that Warfare is not as successful as Garland’s previous film, despite having a smaller budget, a notable cast, and an engaging plot. There are multiple factors contributing to the success of Civil War and the underperformance of Warfare.
Civil War’s Box Office Was Bolstered By Great Marketing & Political Commentary
How Warfare Compares To Civil War’s Marketing & Premise
To fully understand what made “Civil War” such a hit, it’s crucial to consider its initial appeal. Its allure stemmed from a politically pertinent narrative. The story followed a team of journalists on their race to reach Washington D.C., which had been seized by rebels. This dystopian setting gave the film an eerie resemblance to current events, making it seem alarmingly real. Presented as a chilling glimpse into America’s future, the movie captured the interest and investment of its audience. Moreover, A24 effectively promoted the film by releasing captivating trailers well ahead of its premiere, ensuring that viewers were already familiar with it before it even hit the screens.
Regrettably, the film “Warfare” didn’t enjoy the same level of appeal. While both movies deal with war and issues within the U.S. government/military, “Warfare” seems less universally resonant compared to “Civil War”. The reason is that “Warfare” primarily focuses on soldiers and a historical event, whereas “Civil War” delves more into ordinary people’s struggles with a failing administration. It’s more compelling to be drawn into the fictional yet plausible narrative of “Civil War” as opposed to the factual account presented in “Warfare”. Additionally, “Civil War” received significantly more publicity than “Warfare”.
Why Warfare Has Made So Much Less At The Box Office Than Civil War
The Controversy Of War Movies
The influence of marketing and storytelling is undeniably significant in explaining why Warfare didn’t perform as well at the box office, but there are other minor factors that may have contributed too. For instance, Civil War benefited from having prominent stars such as Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Cailee Spaeny, who had recently starred in Priscilla Presley’s biopic, Priscilla. By contrast, the cast of Warfare includes promising newcomers rather than widely recognized A-list celebrities. Furthermore, Warfare faced competition from other films such as The Amateur and Sinners, which might have impacted its box office earnings.
A potential issue that might have affected the success of the film “Warfare” could be the polarizing nature of war-themed movies. Typically, these films are categorized into either portraying war in a favorable or unfavorable light. Movies that glorify war often face criticism for downplaying the horrors of combat and exploiting patriotism inappropriately. While “Warfare” clearly takes an anti-war stance, its marketing may not have conveyed this to potential viewers, leading some to believe it supports a cause they disagree with, thereby potentially discouraging them from watching it.
Warfare Not Matching Civil War’s Box Office Isn’t A Problem
Garland Will Make Up For This Box Office Soon Enough
It’s a bit of a letdown that the movie “Warfare” didn’t match the success of “Civil War,” but it’s not really a major concern. A24 probably invested less in marketing “Warfare” since it wasn’t expected to be as big a hit as “Civil War.” In fact, “Civil War” needed to recover its $50 million budget, whereas “Warfare’s” $20 million was more feasible. In the upcoming weeks, it should recoup this investment. To put it simply, while “Warfare” didn’t break box office records, it did well by receiving positive reviews and making an impression on its audience. Far from being a flop, “Warfare” performed quite adequately.
| Every Movie Alex Garland Has Directed | Year of Release |
|---|---|
| Ex Machina | 2014 |
| Annihilation | 2018 |
| Men | 2022 |
| Civil War | 2024 |
| Warfare | 2025 |
Moreover, it’s worth noting that after the success of Warfare, Alex Garland has another promising project in store for 2025 titled 28 Years Later. Given the acclaim of the 2002 original, his collaboration with director Danny Boyle and actor Cillian Murphy once again, there’s no doubt that this film is set to be a blockbuster. Any potential flaws in Warfare will likely be overshadowed by the highly-anticipated release of this highly-regarded Alex Garland production.
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2025-04-24 12:40