Marvel Cinematic Universe Crosses $14 Billion at Worldwide Box Office

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has just passed another massive milestone, and there are no signs of the franchise slowing down any time soon.

Black Panther has hauled in nearly $500 million at the global box office, in just 9 days since it was first released, giving Marvel Studios one of its biggest hits to date. That incredible tally takes the Marvel Cinematic Universe to new heights, having now earned more than $14 billion at the global box office.

Yes, you read that correctly. The MCU has made more than $14 billion in ticket sales alone.

Back in 2009, Disney purchased Marvel for $4 billion, which seemed like a lot at the time. However, when that acquisition took place, the only MCU films that had been released were Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. In just 10 years, Marvel more than made up for that hefty price tag. Talk about return on investment.

What's even more impressive is that the biggest movies are likely still to come. Avengers: Infinty War, and the subsequent Avengers 4, are being touted by many as one of the most highly anticipated cinematic events in history. Both films are likely going to dominate the box office, potentially breaking records set by the first Avengers movie, possibly even Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The franchise also has movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Captain Marvel on the way.

Both Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War are expected to cross the $1 billion mark at the box office this year. Those performances, along with the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp, will likely put the franchise above $16 billion before 2019.

How long will it take for the MCU to make $20 billion at the global box office? Can Black Panther become the franchise's biggest hit to date? Let us know what you think in the comments below!