Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman star in Marvel’s ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.
Disney
Disney and Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” has secured $38.5 million in Thursday previews and is on pace for a domestic debut north of $150 million, which would be a record for an R-rated film.
The latest entry into 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 preview haul was the 8th largest ever and the highest 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 provide early access to eager fans eager to see the latest blockbuster on the big screen before its official debut, but also provide a key indication of the weekend’s potential box office to studios, analysts and journalists” .
Comic book movies and blockbuster franchises often see significantly higher ticket sales on Thursday nights as fans try to catch the movie early on its opening weekend to avoid spoilers. Thursday night preview numbers are folded into Friday’s box office and are counted as part of a film’s three-day opening weekend.
Highest Thursday night preview ticket sales
- “Avengers: Endgame” – $60 million
- “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” – $57 million
- “Spider-Man: No Way Home” – $50 million
- “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – $45 million
- “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” — $43.5 million
- “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” – $40 million
- “Avengers: Infinity War” – $39 million
- “Deadpool & Wolverine” — $38.5 million
- “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” – $36 million
Source: Comscore, Disney
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is expected to collect between $160 million and $180 million at the domestic box office in its debut.
This streak will 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 released under the MCU banner and the first to earn an R rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool movies, both rated R, 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 larger portfolio.
Movie theater executives told CNBC they don’t expect the R rating to deter moviegoers. In fact, it’s probably a selling point for the film.
“‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ could prove to be one of many for Disney and Marvel as the studios hit the gas pedal with fewer theatrical and streaming releases recently,” said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. “This may translate into renewed interest in this next event-level story, which is also not intended to be a work-in-progress film for the casual or uninitiated.”
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the first MCU film to be released since November last year and will be the only 2024 release from Marvel Studios. There are currently four MCU releases scheduled for 2025, one for 2026, and one for 2027.
However, Marvel is set to present a panel at San Diego Comic Con this weekend and during Disney’s D23 show in August, so the calendar could change. The changes could come after the firing of Kang actor Jonathan Majors – who was set to play the main villain in the next film series – and production delays caused by last year’s actor and writer strikes.
