At the international box office, “F9” crossed the $400 million mark, boosting its global total to $541.8 million. Since it released exclusively on the big screen three weeks ago, the action sequel starring Vin Diesel has generated $141 million in North America. Universal’s “F9: The Fast Saga,” the previous record holder for pandemic-era box office debuts, came in a distant second place with $10.8 million. “For now, those impediments make ‘Black Widow’s’ opening all the more impressive.” “Certainly the figure would be higher if every theater were open, if there were zero concern with COVID, and if there weren’t a streaming option,” Gross says.
In total, the 24 films that populate the commercially unrivaled Marvel Cinematic Universe have brought in $22 billion theatrically since 2008. Not every new release has the built-in fanbase needed to replicate those results.
Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, notes that Marvel movies are in a league of its own at the box office. It’s also notable because it displays that movies can bring in solid box office receipts despite being available on streaming services at the same time. “Black Widow” marks a massive win for movie theaters, which have been struggling to recover from the mass closures and capacity restrictions that decimated their business during the pandemic. “‘Black Widow’s’ strong performance this weekend affirms our flexible distribution strategy of making franchise films available in theaters for a true cinematic experience and, as COVID concerns continue globally, providing choice to consumers who prefer to watch at home on Disney Plus.” 3) will play exclusively in theaters for 45 days, but the studio hasn’t laid out plans for “Eternals,” which launches on Nov. As Disney previously announced, Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (opening on Sept. “Cate Shortland, Scarlett Johansson, and the Marvel Studios team have delivered an exceptional film that continues a legacy of creative excellence as the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands and enters a new era.”ĭisney’s media and entertainment distribution chairman Kareem Daniel on Sunday morning touted the success of the hybrid rollout for “Black Widow,” the first Marvel movie to be released in two years. “There’s no question it’s been worth the wait,” said Disney Studios Content chairman Alan Bergman. “Black Widow” was originally slated to premiere in 2020, but it was delayed several times due to the pandemic.
That will be tested when “Jungle Cruise,” a family film starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, opens in cinemas and on Disney Plus on July 30. It’s unclear if Disney will continue to report on digital rental data for its upcoming films or if the studio will selectively parcel out information to only highlight strong results. The studio didn’t share viewership data for the previously released “Cruella” starring Emma Stone and the animated “Raya and the Last Dragon,” which also premiered simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus for a premium fee. Curbing overall ticket sales, however, is the fact that “Black Widow” still doesn’t have a release date in China, which is an all-important moviegoing market for the Marvel franchise.ĭisney began rolling out select movies under its Premier Access banner as a concession while moviegoing was impaired during the pandemic. Combined with Disney Plus numbers, the final weekend figure sits at $215 million. Disney reported that “Black Widow” generated more than $60 million “in Disney Plus Premier Access consumer spend globally,” marking the rare occasion in which a studio disclosed the profits made from streaming.ĭirected by Cate Shortland, “Black Widow” collected an additional $78 million from 46 international territories, boosting its global box office haul to an impressive $158 million. The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, is the first from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to open simultaneously in movie theaters and on Disney Plus, where subscribers can rent “Black Widow” for an extra $30. Disney and Marvel’s superhero adventure “ Black Widow” captured a massive $80 million in its first weekend, crushing the benchmark for the biggest box office debut since the pandemic.