Suicide Squad Projected to Beat Guardians of the Galaxy's Opening Weekend Record
After the controversy and divisiveness of Batman v Superman, DC Comics and Warner Bros. are [...]
After the controversy and divisiveness of Batman v Superman, DC Comics and Warner Bros. are looking for an indisputable blockbuster movie success in Suicide Squad, which will open the DC Extended Universe up in a big way by showcasing the super villain underbelly of the superhero world. Led by a big-name cast that includes Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, and Jared Leto as The Joker, Suicide Squad is poised to capture a lot of attention during San Diego Comic-Con 2016 - as well as when it opens in theaters this August.
With the growing hype surrounding the film - generated by a pretty awesome promotional campaign - the question has recently become not if Suicide Squad will do well at the box office, but rather how well it will do. And early projections are that DC/WB's supervillain team-up film could do better than any other comic book movie has in August - including Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Wrap reports that Suicide Squad is projected to open at over $100 million domestically when it hits theaters on August 5th; Guardians of the Galaxy currently holds the record for an August opening, with a $94.3 million premiere weekend in 2014. While news that the oft-criticized DCEU could finally beat the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a box office showdown, there are a few factors to remember before we get into the usual fanboy flame-war:
- Suicide Squad is a risk, since it's an unorthodox and lesser-known comic book property; but Guardians of the Galaxy is what instilled mainstream moviegoers with the confidence that cool-looking, off-beat comic book movies can be worth the ticket price.
- Suicide Squad has a big cast of well-known actors both acclaimed (Davis, Leto) and bankable (Smith, Robbie). Guardians earned its dollars on the backs of yet-to-be-proven talent like Chris Pratt, with only a few celebrity voices (Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel) bringing the star power.
- Suicide Squad is offering moviegoers iconic (and bankable) characters like The Joker and Batman back on the big screen. Guardians of the Galaxy sold audiences on alien beings like a foul-mouthed, gun-loving raccoon, and a monosyllabic tree. No real contest there.
- All this chit-chat about August winners doesn't mean much when compared to the rest of 2016: Even if Suicide Squad hits high projections like $115 - 120 million, Marvel still killed it with Captain America: Civil War earning $180 million in its opening weekend, while Batman v Superman pulled in $166 million. Even Deadpool snagged $132 million, despite being released in February with an R rating. Let's keep perspective here.
- ...And come on, if we're being honest, Suicide Squad's throwback soundtrack and off-kilter humorous marketing campaign borrow just a tiny bit from the GotG marketing playbook. Just a tiny bit.
But rather than focus on the "DC vs. Marvel" of it all, perhaps let's focus on the thing most fans of either camp are hoping for: an entertaining comic book movie to close out summer. If you haven't seen them yet, check out the recent series of Suicide Squad character videos that offer new footage of the cast and characters.
Also be sure to watch out for our Suicide Squad Comic-Con panel and press coverage, during SDCC16.
Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5, 2016. Stay tuned to our Comic-Con 2016 coverage for updates!
The DCEU continues with Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017; Justice League Part One on November 17, 2017; The Flash on March 16, 2018; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; an untitled DC Film on October 5, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League Part Two on June 14, 2019; an untitled DC film on November 1, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020
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