Alien Covenant Is the Second Strongest Debut

Those are horrible numbers when you consider inflation. Not as many people went to see Alien: Covenant compared to other Alien movies, no lines outside the movie theater, etc. This is the domestic gross when adjusted for inflation:

1 Alien Fox $278,037,000 $78,944,891 5/25/79
2 Aliens Fox $202,915,500 $85,160,248 7/18/86
3 Prometheus Fox $138,317,000 $126,477,084 6/8/12
4 Alien 3 Fox $118,165,300 $55,473,545 5/22/92
5 Alien Vs. Predator Fox $114,282,600 $80,282,231 8/13/04
6 Alien Resurrection Fox $92,050,900 $47,795,658 11/26/97
7 Aliens Vs. Predator - Requiem Fox $52,364,000 $41,797,066 12/25/07
8 Alien: Covenant Fox $49,822,200 $49,822,181 5/19/17
TOTAL: $1,045,954,400 $565,752,904 - (Box Office Mojo)

PROMETHEUS was Ridley's return to Sci-fi and the Alien Universe, so interest in it was MEGA off the charts!

Good old A L I E N didn't do badly considering how few cinemas there were back then, compared with now!

No need to obsess over the numbers though. What matters is how the franchise will be positioned after its theater run. Even when Prometheus is a better film, the fact that it did not have the "Alien" brand attached to it didn't hurt as much the franchise reputation with those who hated the movie. Alien Covenant will certainly tarnish the Alien brand. 

@joylitt no, it did not "tarnish" anything. It only pushed the brand higher.

Starlogger Time will tell

Again, I understand numbers are important to an extent but think the franchise will carry on. AC appeals to the masses- as someone else pointed out and that will likely draw them in along with the established base for the next run. Seems a smart business move that also benefits fans. I'm feelin' it.

@dk Bingo. Better to be talked about negatively than to not be talked about at all.

"Branding"...it's a science.