Marvel is back at the top with ‘Deadpool’ & Wolverine.” According to studio estimates, the comic book movie grossed a whopping $205 million in its first weekend in North American theaters. It broke the opening record for R-rated films previously held by the first “Deadpool” ($132 million) and ranked among the top 10 openings of all time.
Including international screenings, where it has grossed another $233.3 million, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is looking at a worldwide opening of over $438.3 million.
Fitting with the introduction of both characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe: “Deadpool & Wolverine” played less like previous X-Men or Deadpool films and more like an Avengers picture. In the best domestic opening weekends ever: “Deadpool & Wolverine” ranks 8th between “The Avengers” and “Black Panther” and beats “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($191.3 million) out of the top 10.
It’s by far the biggest opening of the year, unseating Disney’s “Inside Out 2” ($154.2 million) and selling the most tickets a movie has sold in its debut weekend since “Barbie” ($162 million) stormed theaters last July . And these are numbers previously thought impossible for an R-rated film.
Walt Disney Studios’ release came at a crucial time for an industry struggling with box office returns still running at a double-digit deficit from last year. The success is also a big moment for Marvel Studios, which has had several high-profile disappointments of late; Most notably in “The Marvels,” which opened last November with an MCU low of $47 million.
Marvel’s savior came in the form of two characters who got their start outside of the MCU and had a Motion Picture Association rating that seemed to have a revenue cap.
Both Deadpool and Wolverine, played by Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, previously existed under the banner of 21st Century Fox, which for two decades had the rights to Marvel characters like the “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four.” That changed when Disney acquired the studio’s film and TV assets in early 2019, and plans began to take shape for how all these characters would fit into Kevin Feige’s MCU. In some cases, like “Fantastic Four,” Marvel Studios is starting over. With “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the stars were as crucial as their characters.
Going into the weekend, $200 million domestic seemed like a dream. Analysts were more conservative with forecasts near $160 million. But from the start of Thursday’s preview screenings at 3 p.m., it was clear that “Deadpool & Wolverine” was more powerful. By the end of Friday, the film had already earned $96 million and received a coveted A CinemaScore from audiences. The critics were also largely positive.
Second place went to Universal’s “Twisters,” now in its second weekend with $35.3 million. The standalone sequel to “Twister” has now earned $154.9 million in North America. Universal also took third place with “Despicable Me 4,” which grossed $14.2 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to nearly $291 million.
