Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds star in Marvel's “Deadpool and Wolverine.”
Disney
Marvel is back on top.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” shattered box office records this weekend, raking in $205 million in domestic ticket sales during its opening weekend, the highest debut of 2024 and for an R-rated film ever.
The film exceeded analysts' expectations, who had expected an opening weekend of between $160 and $180 million.
“The massive debut of 'Deadpool & Wolverine' should convince those who threw in the towel on the big screen in May that you can never underestimate the power, appeal, staying power and, yes, unpredictability of the moviegoing experience,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Internationally, the film grossed $233.3 million, bringing its estimated global haul to $438.3 million for the entire weekend.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the 34th film to be released under the MCU banner and the first of the Disney-produced installments to earn an R rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool films, both R-rated, were produced and released by 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired the company in 2019, bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four back into Marvel's broader portfolio.
Like previous MCU installments, “Deadpool & Wolverine” benefited from fan fervor. Audiences were eager to see the film on its opening weekend to avoid spoilers. Disney kept much of the film’s content under wraps and offered limited press screenings ahead of its debut.
The big opening of “Deadpool & Wolverine” comes after a post-pandemic box office slump for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney has saturated the market with streaming superhero content in recent years, and its push for quantity at the box office has led to a drop in quality.
“Marvel took a bit of a break to help rejuvenate its creative direction in the wake of several divisive films and this return to the fold certainly secured the landing for the superhero,” said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory.
“A record-breaking R-rated debut not only proves that Marvel and Disney can spread their wings a bit when the content calls for it, but also that Marvel fans and casual audiences alike are still hungry for the kind of entertaining and meaningful blockbuster storytelling that has defined much of their unrivaled success,” he added.
The release of “Deadpool and Wolverine” coincided with Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic Con, which revealed an updated slate of films and gave fans a glimpse of where the franchise is headed in the coming years. That includes Sam Wilson, the newly minted Captain America, looking to rebuild the Avengers after they disbanded in the wake of his fight with Thanos, and the pending arrival of Doctor Doom, who will be played by Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr.
“Each film must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, but Deadpool and Wolverine, along with this weekend's Comic Con announcements, mark significant steps down a path that could reignite enthusiasm for the franchise as a whole,” Robbins said.
