Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Opens to $185 Million at the Box Office

By Jamie Lovett

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will easily top the box office this weekend. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe will earn at least $185 million based on Disney's conservative official estimates. Analysts believe that the total could rise to over $195 million once Sunday's receipts are tallied. Either way, that's the biggest opening for a Disney movie since the pandemic began, and at least the 11th biggest domestic opening weekend of all time. The total is building on the movie's $90-million opening day, the seventh-biggest in box office history. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has done decently with critics. ComicBook.com's Jenna Anderson called it an "inventive" and "outrageous" turning point for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in her 4-out-of-5 review of the film:

"In the same way that Sam Raimi's Spider-Man helped cement what a modern superhero blockbuster could be, it feels like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one of the first postmodern superhero blockbusters. The film is tasked with being both a worthy follow-up to the complicated, decade-long storylines of two of Marvel's most mystical characters, as well as the gonzo foray into what are sure to be many, many more multiversal stories within the MCU. By and large, the film succeeds on both fronts, and its few stumbles are still vastly more entertaining than they could be in the hands of a lesser cast and crew. While viewers' mileage about some of the specifics of Multiverse of Madness will surely vary, there's nothing wrong with that — and if anything, it only illustrates a small amount of how complex and weird Marvel's pop culture presence can become. What anchors the project throughout are incredibly strong performances, enticing references to decades of the larger Marvel world, and the most compelling directing choices that Phase 4 of the franchise has had. To put it simply, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the MCU equivalent of a heaping plate of food at a buffet — it'll give you a lot to chew on for the moment, but it's only a small sampling of the delicious things that are out there."

What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is playing now in theaters. The complete list of top 10 films at the box office follows.

1. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Dr. Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens a portal to the multiverse. However, a threat emerges that may be too big for his team to handle.

Sam Raimi directed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness from a screenplay written by Michael Waldron. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange, alongside Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams.

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2. The Bad Guys

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    (Photo: Universal Pictures)
  • Week Two
  • Weekend: $9.77 million
  • Total: $57.5 million

After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet -- becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good.

Pierre Perifel directs The Bad Guys from a screenplay written by Etan Cohen, inspired by the children's book series by Aaron Blabey. The film's voice cast includes Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Anthony Ramos, Craig Robinson, Awkwafina, Richard Ayoade, Zazie Beetz, Lilly Singh, and Alex Borstein.

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3. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

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(Photo: Paramount Pictures)
  • Week Four
  • Weekend: $6.2 million
  • Total: $169.9 million

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is eager to prove that he has what it takes to be a true hero. His test comes when Dr. Robotnik returns with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of a mystical emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a globe-trotting journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands.

Jeff Fowler directs Sonic the Hedgehog 2 from a script written by Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington. The film stars Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Adam Pally, Shemar Moore, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, Lee Majdoub, Idris Elba, and Jim Carrey.

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4. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

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    (Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)
  • Week Four
  • Weekend: $3.95 million
  • Total: $86 million

Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards and witches. They soon encounter an array of old and new beasts as they clash with Grindelwald's growing legion of followers.

David Yates directed Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore from a screenplay written by J. K. Rowling and Steve Kloves. The film stars Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Katherine Waterston, and Mads Mikkelsen.

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5. Everything Everywhere All at Once

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    (Photo: A24)
  • Week Seven
  • Weekend: $3.3 million
  • Total: $41.56 million

When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert directed Everything Everywhere All at Once. The film stars Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

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6. The Northman

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    (Photo: Focus Features)
  • Week Three
  • Weekend: $2.77 million
  • Total: $28 million

Prince Amleth is on the verge of becoming a man when his father is brutally murdered by his uncle, who kidnaps the boy's mother. Two decades later, Amleth is now a Viking who raids Slavic villages. He soon meets a seeress who reminds him of his vow -- save his mother, kill his uncle, avenge his father.

Robert Eggers direct The Northman from a script he co-wrote with Sjón, based on the legend of Amleth. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.

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7. The Lost City

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    (Photo: Paramount)
  • Week Six
  • Weekend: $2.5 million
  • Total: $94.38 million

Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to an ancient city's lost treasure from her latest story. Determined to prove he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, Alan sets off to rescue her.

Aaron and Adam Nee directed The Lost City from a screenplay they co-wrote with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox, from Seth Gordon's story. The film stars Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Brad Pitt.

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9. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

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    (Photo: Lionsgate)
  • Week Three
  • Weekend: $1.53 million
  • Total: $16.3 million

Unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, actor Nick Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend a wealthy fan's birthday party. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when a CIA operative recruits Cage for an unusual mission. Taking on the role of a lifetime, he soon finds himself channeling his most iconic and beloved characters to save himself and his loved ones.

Tom Gormican directed The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, which he co-wrote with Kevin Etten. The film stars Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tiffany Haddish.

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9. Memory

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    (Photo: Open Road Films)
  • Week Two
  • Weekend: $1.22 million
  • Total: $5.49 million

When Alex, an expert assassin, refuses to complete a job for a dangerous criminal organization, he becomes a target. FBI agents and Mexican intelligence are brought in to investigate the trail of bodies, leading them closer to Alex. With the crime syndicate and FBI in hot pursuit, Alex has the skills to stay ahead, except for one thing: he is struggling with severe memory loss, affecting his every move. Alex must question his every action and whom he can ultimately trust.

Martin Campbell directs Memory from a screenplay by Dario Scardapane, remaking the Belgian film The Alzheimer Case based on the novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts. The movie stars Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Harold Torres, Taj Atwal, and Ray Fearon.

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10. Father STu

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    (Photo: Sony Pictures)
  • Week Four
  • Weekend: $800,000
  • Total: $19.2 million

When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen, a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realization that he's meant to be a Catholic priest.

Rosalind Ross wrote and directed Father Stu, based on the true story of Stuart Long. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Jacki Weaver, and Mel Gibson.

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