After eight weeks at the box office, Marvel’s latest superhero saga, ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ is holding its ground. Despite a sharp drop in theater screens and increasing competition from new releases, the film is now within touching distance of a major milestone: $200 million in North America.
This film marks Anthony Mackie’s first big-screen solo outing as Sam Wilson, who officially takes up the iconic shield following Chris Evans’ departure as Steve Rogers. It’s a key chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five—and while the buzz hasn’t matched that of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ the numbers tell a different story.
A slow but steady march to $200M
As per Box Office Mojo, ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ has raked in $199.1 million in North America so far. Over the past weekend, the film added around $1.4 million more to its domestic total despite a steep 52.2% revenue drop compared to the weekend before. So far, it has also amassed around $411 million globally, making it the third-highest-grossing film of the year.
The drop isn’t surprising, given that the film lost more than 600 theater screens on Friday and now plays in just 2,380 cinemas across the US, down from over 2,900, as reported by Deadline. With projections showing a further 51% dip, it’s still expected to just cross the $200 million line—a respectable achievement in today’s unpredictable box office climate.
Holding on amid box office battles
The film may not have lit up the global charts like ‘Deadpool and Wolverine,’ but its ability to keep pulling in audiences speaks volumes. Despite stiffer competition from major releases like ‘A Minecraft Movie,’ which made a strong debut, Mackie’s Captain America has held firm.
Directed by Julius Onah, ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ explores Sam Wilson’s transformation as the new bearer of the shield. The storyline picks up after ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and dives into political turmoil, covert agendas, and even a monstrous twist.
Whether or not ‘Brave New World’ ends its run above $200 million, the conversation around its performance is important for the MCU’s future. With upcoming titles like ‘Thunderbolts’ and ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ on the horizon, Marvel will need to reignite that pre-Endgame magic to keep audiences invested.
