New Doctor Strange Opening Weekend Box Office Projections Released

When Marvel Studios announced they were developing a Doctor Strange film, comic book readers were stoked to hear the news. But, for the average moviegoer, they were asking, "Doctor Who?" Over the summer, excitement over the film have grown exponentially as cast members like Benedict Cumberbatch have sung Doctor Strange's praises. And, now, it looks like the movie is projected to debut with some competitive box office numbers.

According to Deadline, industry professionals expect the movie to rake in between $65-70 million over the weekend. The film will begin airing on Thursday with preview screenings, and Doctor Strange will roll out in a over 3,800 U.S. cinemas by Friday. Other markets like China and Brazil will also see the movie released in their theaters later this week.

Overseas, Doctor Strange has been welcomed with open arms. The movie is projected to hit $100 million at the worldwide box office soon since it premiered with an $87.7 million opening last weekend. Doctor Strange fared well in more than 33 foreign markets, but the U.K. and South Korea were particularly pleased with the movie.

While Doctor Strange is expected to have a solid opening weekend, most believe the film will stagger behind the debuts of Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy. The former film raked in more than $85.7 million when it premiered while the latter smashed records with its $94.3 million debut. Doctor Strange is also expected to do better than Ant-Man as the family-friendly superhero flick opened to $57.2 million.

If you want to know why Doctor Strange is saddled with higher expectations these days, then you can thank the word-of-mouth. The film's association with the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave Doctor Strange a reputation boost, and its star-studded cast has also helped out. The blockbusting studio has also been careful to highlight the film's insane visuals and humor. Should enough moviegoers buy into the film's IMAX potential, ticket sales will ring up to a pricier tune.

There's also the fact that Doctor Strange is officially certified 'Fresh' over at Rotten Tomatoes. The site's recognition has also persuaded some to give the movie a try.

From Marvel comes DOCTOR STRANGE, the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place – a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a center for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange – armed with newly acquired magical powers – is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence. Join Strange on his dangerous, mystifying, and totally mind-bending journey.

Marvel's Doctor Strange will hit theaters on November 4, 2016.

[H/T] Deadline