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Ant-Man & The Wasp Propels MCU Past $17 Billion Worldwide
Recent addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp has officially pushed the MCU past $17 billion at the worldwide box office. The film is just finishing out its opening weekend and has already helped to push the MCU into making history. Ant-Man and the Wasp's mild success at the box office this weekend has marked a milestone for the MCU as a whole.
One of the many sub-series for the MCU, Ant-Man was released in 2015 as part of Phase 2. The first film earned overall $180.2 million domestically, ahead of The Incredible Hulk, which took in about $134 million domestically and just below 2011's Thor, which brought in $181 million. There was a level of expectation, following Infinity War, that the sequel would bring in more money than its predecessor, but would also have the lowest opening for a Phase 3 film. But every ticket sale has pushed the MCU beyond a profound benchmark for its all-around box office.
According to Box Office Mojo, Ant-Man and the Wasp's modest (as compared to previous films) opening edged the MCU past the $17 billion mark. Specifically, the MCU's worldwide total sits at $17,060,000,000. Ant-Man and the Wasp is Marvel Studios' third film to hit theaters this year, following on from Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War - both of which broke records at the box office.
Marvel films have been building their brand as box office machines over the last decade, but the momentum has truly picked up as of recently. Black Panther had the best opening weekend of the standalone films, earning $202 billion at the box office. The Avengers and Avengers: Infinity War round out the top three best opening weekends for MCU films. While some might find Ant-Man and the Wasp's box office numbers troubling, the film will more than likely make back its budget as it continues to run in theaters.
As for the rest of the MCU, forthcoming installments will continue to push box office boundaries. Avengers 4 is set for a May 2019 release. And Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, will open in March 2019, prior to the next Avengers installment. Larson recently commemorated the end of filming, which can only mean plot reveals, promotional photos, and a trailer are on the way. Spider-Man: Far From Home is scheduled to hit in the heat of summer in July 2019.
Essentially, the MCU has more than enough time to continue breaking box office records. Standalone films like Ant-Man and the Wasp continue to do well at the box office, but being the follow-up film to Infinity War may have added some pressure. Still, the film is, as Kevin Feige described, a breath of fresh air. Ultimately, the MCU is a juggernaut in the film industry and fans can look forward to seeing more of its films smashing records.
