Deadpool & Wolverine topped the box office this weekend as it cut through the competition to set new records worldwide. It’s been six years since the merc with a mouth was last seen breaking the 4th wall in theaters and much has changed in Hollywood since then. While Ryan Reynolds has been very open about wanting to get Hugh Jackman back to reprise his role as Wolverine in a team-up, there were initial doubts about whether that would be possible, but then also after Disney completed its purchase of 20th Century Fox Studios, what kind of movie they would be able to make. Well, despite mixed reviews from film critics, it appears that fans have spoken and are loving the long-awaited team-up.
The early Thursday night showings for Deadpool & Wolverine brought in $38 million domestically making it the highest-ever debut for an R-rated movie but that was only the beginning. By the time the weekend was over it had brought in $438.3 million globally, and $205 million domestically. It managed to exceed records set by Deadpool 2 and, when adjusting for current rates, Avatar The Way of Water. As Deadline reports, these are just some of the records the film has beaten.
Per Deadline:
- Biggest Domestic July opening weekend ever, having broken the previous record set by The Lion King at $191.8 million.
- 2nd highest opening for a third franchise entry. Avengers: Endgame still holds the number one spot.
- Biggest 2024 domestic opening so far and second only to Spider-Man: No Way Home at $260.1 million
- This marks the 34th consecutive MCU film to debut at number one
Disney is on a roll for summer box-office hits
Deadpool & Wolverine might be the cherry on top for Disney but it’s not the only film to have been released recently that has done well for Disney. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes got things rolling in May and then Inside Out 2 in June kept up the momentum with Deadpool & Wolverine moving things full steam ahead. What remains to be seen is whether or not Disney, and more specifically Marvel, understands what has made the 3rd entry such a success. Marvel, in recent years, has had its share of flops after attempting to recycle the same formulas, or less popular characters, only to find that audiences are particular about what films they want to see.
Studio head Kevin Feige did indeed allow director Shawn Levy free reign to do as he pleased with the movie, to such a degree one might wonder how close he got to exceeding allowable language for an R-rated film, but harsh language isn’t necessarily the formula for any successful R-rated movie. As already covered in the media, the film also featured many cameos from other Marvel films but it was done in a more unique way than other films as well. Without giving in to revealing spoilers it can be said the filmmakers made some very calculated decisions on whom to bring in and cameos are not what always draws in audiences either. Hopefully, studio heads at Marvel and Disney are paying attention and not once again giving the green light to just about anything hoping for a quick cash grab.
The Future of the MCU
Marvel’s next big debut is Captain America 4 aka Captain America: Brave New World which is set to release on February 14, 2025. The film has had numerous reworks since it began production and will be the first to feature Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson-The Falcon) as Captain America. Similarly, the studio is hoping to introduce another team to the big screen with Thunderbolts on April 30, 2025. Meanwhile, the MCU has taken a U-turn with its Kang dynasty crossover storyline that was set to culminate with the Avengers’ next film(s), following the events involving Jonathan Majors, and instead announced at its Marvel Studios’ SDCC 2024 panel, Avengers: Doomsday which is said to also feature the return of the Russo brothers at the helm. The other big surprise is that Robert Downey Jr is returning to the MCU not as Iron Man but as Doctor Doom in May 2026.