Scarlett Johansson in Marvel Studios’ BLACK WIDOW.
Proving the might of the Marvel brand, superhero stand-alone pic Black Widow set a new benchmark for the pandemic era in opening to $80 million at the domestic box office.
That’s the biggest North American start by far since the COVID-19 crisis commenced and the largest since Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in Dec. 2019.
The film earned $78 million at the international box office and $60 million on Disney Premier+ Access for a global start north of $215 million. It’s unprecedented for a studio to announce a premium VOD or streaming number for a film’s opening weekend, and could foreshadow practices to come.
In the U.S., Black Widow helped put the box office close to pre-pandemic levels for the first time since the COVID-19 crisis hit. It will also be the first time that overall revenue is running ahead of the same weekend in 2019.
In a second milestone of the weekend, Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II crossed $150 million in its second weekend in its seventh weekend.
Until now, Universal’s F9 domestic start of $70 million (including $7.1 million in Thursday sneaks) held the crown top pandemic-era opening (F9‘s global gross is approaching $550 million, including $141.3 million domestically.) Both F9 and Black Widow are among numerous 2020 tentpoles that were delayed because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Video: Black Widow’ Cast Reveal Which Scenes They Were Most Excited to Film (Entertainment Weekly)
Black Widow’ Cast Reveal Which Scenes They Were Most Excited to Film
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The major difference between the two: F9 is receiving an exclusive theatrical release, while Black Widow is opening day-and-date on Disney+ Premier Access for an additional $30.
Some analysts hoped Black Widow would come closer to $100 million in its domestic debut. But the box office is still in recovery mode and far from operating at normal levels in some parts of North America, not to mention the movie’s hybrid release strategy.
That’s likewise true overseas, where Black Widow opened this week and weekend in most major markets, excluding areas still impacted by COVID-19 closures, including Taiwan, India, parts of Australia and some countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America. (In North America, a swath of cinemas in Canada, including Toronto, are still shuttered.) Black Widow does not yet have a release date in China, where the box office has rebounded in a major way.
Watching Black Widow on Disney+ Premier Access is also an option in numerous international markets where the streamer is available.
“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+,” Kareem Daniel, Chairman of Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement.
“It’s incredible to see audiences enjoying Black Widow after two years without a new Marvel Studios film, and this spectacular opening weekend shows just how eager fans have been to see this beloved Avenger in her own story. There’s no question it’s been worth the wait – Cate Shortland, Scarlett Johansson, and the Marvel Studios team have delivered an exceptional film that continues a legacy of creative excellence as the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands and enters a new era,” said Alan Bergman, Chairman of Disney Studios Content.
Directed by Cate Shortland, the big-budget tentpole stars Scarlett Johansson in the titular role. The action-thriller follows Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow as she revisits her past. Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and David Harbour also star.
Black Widow is among numerous 2020 tentpoles that were delayed because of the COVID-19 crisis and wide-scale theater closures. It’s been more than two years since a Marvel/Disney superhero pic (Avengers: Endgame) graced the big screen. Endgame, which was released in late April 2019, was followed in July of that year by Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: Far From Home.
