‘Captain Marvel’ Box Office Soars on Thursday

While some pundits were worried about the state of filmgoing in 2019, it seems like Marvel Studios is providing a shot in the arm with the release of Captain Marvel.

A new report from Deadline estimates Thursday’s box office numbers will fall between $20 million to $24 million, giving Captain Marvel the chance to have the top-grossing days of the year thus far.

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World made $22.2 million in its first Saturday during opening weekend, which currently stands as the top-grossing day of 2019, which makes Captain Marvel‘s haul that much more impressive considering preview screenings only began at 6pm. Deadline also notes that these are early estimates not provided by Disney, and the numbers could increase or decrease by Friday morning.

The report points out that Captain Marvel has the momentum to end up with the second-best preview box office haul of all time, losing out to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice which made $27.7 million. Not bad for the first film in a franchise, featuring a superhero that’s yet to appear on the big screen.

In comparison, Black Panther previews made $25.2 million, Captain America: Civil War made $25 million, and the first Avengers movie made $18.7 million. These numbers all factor into the opening day totals for Fridays, as will Captain Marvel‘s preview haul.

It sounds like Captain Marvel is shaping up to be another feather in the highly-decorated cap of Marvel Studios, which seems to be batting a thousand in the lead up to Avengers: Endgame.

Carol Danvers’ solo film was reportedly made with a $152 million budget, so it has a big chance to turn a profit. That, of course, will warrant a sequel, and Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige already addressed the possibility in an interview with ScreenRant.

“The making of a first film is in some ways a brainstorm on the future and on what can be,” Feige said. “So what it will be again is not clear. But what it could be is pretty amazing.”

Larson herself addressed what she wants to see in the future during ComicBook.com’s visit to the set of Captain Marvel.

“I don’t know how it’s any different. To be honest, I don’t want it to feel different,” she said. “I’m kind of over the ‘First female blah blah blah,’ and ‘Wow, maybe women can actually do the same things that dudes can do – what a crazy concept!’ I feel like the more we talk about it, the more we perpetuate the myth that it’s an impossible task. No, if it wasn’t like that before, it’s because it was wrong. That was just wrong. Now we’re just doing what’s natural.

“It’ll be what it is, and I think there’s gonna be lot there for people to digest and feel,” Larson added. “And hopefully it’ll be the movie that you want to revisit again and again, and as life goes on, it’ll have more to it. I just want to make art that lasts. I want to make art that you grow with. That’s all.”

Captain Marvel is now playing in theaters.

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