Summary
Deadpool & Wolverinelooks likely to be the saving grace of theMCU’s box office woes as projections point to a record-breaking $360 million opening weekend. Afterbreaking records with the most-viewed trailerof all time and generating an extreme amount of hype for the movie that will finally bring its eponymous heroes and several otherX-Men to the MCU, a vast box office projection is not surprising. Nevertheless, it will be a welcome boost to Marvel’s fortunes as it looks set to exceedthe opening weekend ofThe Marvelsby more than 200%.
The Marvelsopened to just $110 million in November 2023, and according to Deadline’s figures,Deadpool & Wolverine’s $360 million will be the biggest R-rated opening of all time, beating the previous record set byDeadpool’s $132 million. If this projection proves true, it could be one of the MCU’s biggest-ever opening weekends, beaten only by the PG-13Spider-Man: No Way HomeandDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessin the Multiverse Saga. Despite its R-rating, the projection is a testament to Ryan Reynolds' and Hugh Jackman’s combined star power.
Every Cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine Explained
Deadpool & Wolverine is packed to the brim with cameos from across the entire run of Marvel films, combining the numerous timelines together.
How Deadpool & Wolverine’s Opening Weekend Box Office Projections Compare To Recent MCU Movies
The Multiverse Saga has been a mixed bag for the MCU as it has housed huge successes and historic flops. WhileAvengers: Endgamewill always be hard to beat (at one point being the highest-grossing movie of all time), the Multiverse Saga’sSpider-Man: No Way Homeremainsthe MCU’s third-highest-grossing movie.Deadpool & Wolverinealso has the chance to become another$1 billion grossing MCU movie- especially if the projected opening weekend is anything to go by.
$360M(projected)
Thor: Love and Thunder
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Marvels
$110M
With that being said, the fact thatDeadpool & Wolverine’s projections fall short ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' by nearly $100 million means that this isn’t set in stone. TheDoctor Strangesequel ended up grossing $950 million worldwide. A similar fate could befall theDeadpoolsequel, but one thing that seems certain is thatit may well trounceTheMarvels' $200 million worldwide box office gross in its opening weekend alone.Black Widowalso earned $380 million worldwide, though this was arguably hampered by a simultaneous release on Disney+.
What remains clear is thatDeadpool & Wolverinewill have to rely on its own quality to continue soaring. DC’sJokermanaged to break $1 billion despite its R-rating, and enjoyed a global opening weekend of $247 million. Evidently, the quality ofJokeris what helped it move over the line as it continued to rake in audiences weeks later, so whetherDeadpool & Wolverinefollows the same trend is still up for debate, but very plausible.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Cast
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
