‘Captain Marvel’ Opening Night Box Office Numbers Are Officially Out

It looks like last night’s early projections about Captain Marvel‘s preview night numbers were right on the money: according to estimates, the Marvel tentpole brought in $20.7 million last night, a huge number that puts the film in the neighborhood of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Black Panther in terms of early bird anticipation.

Last night, box office analysts guessed that Captain Marvel would take home between $20 million and $24 million on Thursday, which puts the film on pace for a weekend that earns between $120 and $160 million.

The movie more than doubled Wonder Woman‘s $11 million Thursday, a number which ultimately helped that movie power to over $100 million its opening weekend. The Thursday also represents the second-largest such night for a Marvel solo movie, behind Black Panther.

It is also the second-biggest Thursday in March ever recorded, behind a $27.7 million day for Batman v Superman.

Obviously, audience response and repeat viewing by the hardcore fans will have an impact on opening weekend numbers. Wonder Woman was embraced enthusiastically by almost everyone, and barrelled through the weekend exceeding expectations. Batman v Superman‘s estimates had to be adjusted down after a massive Thursday and Friday because bad word of mouth hurt screenings on Saturday and Sunday.

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.

The movie is opening worldwide this weekend, except for Japan, and is performing well in most markets, including China. The expectation is that the movie could earn as much as $300 million in its first four days worldwide.

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.

h/t: The Hollywood Reporter

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