Black Widow Banks $80 Million In U.S., The Biggest Debut Since Start Of Pandemic
Marvel’s critically acclaimed tentpole blockbuster Black Widow has just smashed box office records going back to the start of the pandemic, raising hopes that theater attendance will soon go back to normal, pre-pandemic levels.
The film is a long-awaited solo project for Marvel’s Avenger character Natasha Romanoff (aka the Black Widow), who has featured in several Marvel films since Ironman 2, but has never been featured in her own film. Better late than never from Marvel’s point of view, as Black Widow easily outran the competition to place first in the box office sweepstakes with $80 million in US and Canadian ticket sales.
The overall picture is even better, as Black Widow premiered simultaneously in theaters and on the Disney+ streaming service. In total, Black Widow booked more than $215 million globally, with more than $60 million of that total coming from Disney+, which charged $30 for the film.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow was well received, with an A-minus CinemaScore and an 80% “fresh” rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.
“It’s incredible to see audiences enjoying ‘Black Widow’ after two years without a new Marvel Studios film,” Disney Studios Chairman Alan Bergman said in a statement. “This spectacular opening weekend shows just how eager fans have been to see this beloved Avenger in her own story.”
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Many analysts credit the popularity of the character and the critical reception the film has enjoyed, but also say the numbers are a strong sign the cinema sector is finally in recovery after a dismal 18 months of rotating lockdowns and restrictions.
Disney, which owns Marvel, was thrilled with the film’s performance after a rough six quarters of shrinking revenue from its film and consumer product divisions. The entertainment conglomerate also feels its strategy of simultaneously releasing films for theaters and streaming has helped strengthen the launch of the Disney+ SVOD service.
“Black Widow’s strong performance this weekend affirms our flexible distribution strategy of making franchise films available in theaters for a true cinematic experience and, as COVID concerns continue globally, providing choice to consumers who prefer to watch at home on Disney+,” said Kareem Daniel, chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
To put Black Widow’s success into perspective, consider it is the only film to crack the $100 million mark in its opening weekend since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. The next closest competitor, Universal’s F9, logged $70 million in its debut weekend last month, and unlike Black Widow, the ninth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise was screened exclusively in theaters.