Deadpool and Wolverine box office previews for Thursday

Disney And Marvel's “Deadpool & Wolverine” has earned $38.5 million in Thursday previews and is on track for a domestic debut of more than $150 million, which would be a record for an R-rated film.

The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most anticipated releases of 2024 and the first R-rated film in the comic book franchise. The pre-release gross was the eighth-biggest ever and the highest ever for an R-rated release.

“Thursday previews have become an integral part of the release strategy for most major studio releases,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “Thursday previews not only offer early access to fans eager to see the latest blockbuster on the big screen before its official debut, but they also provide a key indicator of potential opening weekend box office returns for studios, analysts and journalists alike.”

Comic book movies and blockbuster franchises typically see significantly higher ticket sales on Thursday night, as fans look to see the film early in its opening weekend to avoid spoilers. Thursday night preview figures are added to Friday's box office takings and calculated as part of a film's three-day opening weekend.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is expected to gross $160 million to $180 million at the domestic box office in its debut.

The take would mark the highest opening weekend for a film in 2024 and the biggest debut for an R-rated film ever.

“Deadpool and Wolverine” is the 34th film to be released under the MCU banner and the first to earn an R rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool films, both R-rated, were produced and released through 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired the company in 2019, bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four back into Marvel's broader catalog.

Theater operators told CNBC they don't expect the R rating to deter moviegoers. In fact, it's likely to be a selling point for the film.

“‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ could prove to be a multi-purpose film for Disney and Marvel after the studios eased off the gas with fewer theatrical and streaming releases recently,” said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. “That could lead to renewed interest in this new event-level story, which also isn’t meant to be a film that requires study for fans or the uninitiated.”

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the first MCU film to be released since November of last year and will be Marvel Studios' only 2024 release. There are currently four MCU releases scheduled for 2025, one for 2026 and one for 2027.

However, Marvel is scheduled to host a panel at this weekend's San Diego Comic Con and during Disney's D23 Expo in August, so the schedule could be shaken up. The changes could come in the wake of the firing of Kang's actor, Jonathan Majors (who was set to play the main villain in the upcoming film series), and production delays caused by last year's cast and writers strikes.