Alex Garland's latest film, "Civil War," is set to shake up the box office this weekend, mounting a challenge to the three-week rule of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire." According to box office tracking, no film has managed to hold the top spot for more than three consecutive weekends this year, and "Civil War" is expected to continue this trend.

With an anticipated domestic opening weekend range of $20 to $30 million, "Civil War" has the potential to secure the highest debut in distributor A24's history. While A24 typically relies on gradual releases that expand over time, the studio aims to capture a large opening weekend audience right from the start with their new marketing approach. This shift could propel "Civil War" to become A24's highest-grossing title in the domestic market, potentially surpassing the $77 million set by "Everything, Everywhere, All at Once."

Pre-release awareness for "Civil War" has been strong, and early screening events at select IMAX locations are expected to generate buzz leading up to a robust opening weekend. The film has also garnered critical acclaim, with a 93% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In contrast, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" is expected to maintain a strong presence at the box office, securing a likely second-place finish with a weekend range of $12 to $15 million. The Warner Bros. monster flick has been exceeding expectations since its $80 million debut. Although it will face competition from "Civil War" and will share premium large format (PLF) screens, it is unlikely to be displaced by the new release.

Lionsgate's newcomer, "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," directed by Guy Ritchie, is also set to make its mark on the weekend box office. This action film is the fifth theatrical release by Ritchie since 2020, following a trend of opening between $3 and $10 million in North America. However, "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is expected to deviate from this pattern and perform at the higher end of that range based on pre-release tracking and strong engagement on The Boxoffice Networks' social media channels.

While competition from Universal's "Monkey Man" may pose a challenge, industry experts predict that "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" will secure the last spot on this weekend's box office podium, opening strongly and adding to Ritchie's success lineup.

As audiences eagerly await the battle between "Civil War," "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," and "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," the box office landscape is poised for an exciting weekend with potential shake-ups in rankings and record-breaking performances.