“Deadpool & Wolverine” has kicked off its box office run with an electrifying start, breaking the Thursday preview record for an R-rated film. The comic-book movie raked in an estimated $38.5 million from preview screenings on Thursday, according to Disney. The previous record holder was “Deadpool 2,” which generated $18.6 million from Thursday previews in 2018.
The previews for “Deadpool & Wolverine” performed exceptionally, comparable to blockbuster hits like “Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” The arrival of this highly anticipated film has been eagerly awaited by audiences and cinema owners.
The movie’s release comes at a challenging time for the box office, which is trailing behind last year’s numbers by 17%. Factors contributing to this decline include disruptions caused by an actors’ strike and a lack of major box office successes. Compared to 2019, box office numbers are down by over 34%.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” marks the first Marvel movie of the summer season, a crucial period for Hollywood accounting for a significant portion of annual box office earnings. The film’s success is crucial for an industry that has been struggling to regain momentum, lacking a blockbuster Marvel film this summer.
Despite concerns over superhero fatigue in the box office, “Deadpool & Wolverine” appears to be exempt from this trend. With favorable reviews and enthusiastic fan reception, the movie is anticipated to set new records over the weekend. Showing in over 4,200 screens in the US and Canada, analysts predict it could gross at least $160 million by Sunday, surpassing the original “Deadpool” as the biggest R-rated opener and the highest debut of 2024.
To break into the top 10 openings of all time, “Deadpool & Wolverine” would need to surpass expectations and gross at least $191.3 million, surpassing “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” The film has also made an impressive $64.8 million in its first two days across 48 international markets.