Box Office: 'Captain Marvel' Heading for Heroic $155M-$160M U.S. Launch
The female-fronted superhero pic is on course to score one of the biggest openings ever for a comic book adaptation starring a new character.
Captain Marvel is headed for a heroic debut of $155 million to $160 million at the domestic box office, according to early Friday returns.
Even at $150 million, the first female-fronted superhero pic from Marvel Studios and Disney would land the second-best opening of all time for a comic book adaptation starring a new character behind Black Panther ($200 million), as well as the seventh biggest for any title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe behind the three Avengers movies: Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3.
Captain Marvel's Friday gross is a projected $60 million-plus, including a mighty $20.7 million in Thursday previews. (DC's Wonder Woman earned $11 million in previews on its way to a domestic launch of $103 million.)
The performance of Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, is welcome news for the domestic box office, which endured a dismal January and February. It's also a boost for the ongoing call to feature more females in front of and behind the camera.
Overseas, the tentpole is likewise off to a strong start. It earned $44 million Wednesday and Thursday from a smattering of markets, as well as an estimated $34 million in China on Friday, the second-highest start for any MCU title, behind Infinity War.
In many markets, Captain Marvel is doing more business than any other MCU film introducing a new stand-alone character. And in Brazil, it scored the industry's second-biggest opening day of all time ($3 million) behind Infinity War.
The story, set in 1995, follows galactic warrior Vers as she flexes her powers and savvy when a battle between two alien races threatens Earth. Along the way, she discovers her true identity and past — along with Goose the cat. Larson reprises the role in the upcoming Avengers: Endgame.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel — which is opening on International Women's Day — also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg and Jude Law.
Captain Marvel currently boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 82 percent. The score among top critics is a more divisive 62 percent, however.
