Marvel’s DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE supercharged the weekend box office with a massive $205.0M opening, lifting the total for all films to $277.5M. This compares with a gross of $213.6M last year on this same weekend, led by BARBIE’s $93.0M and OPPENHEIMER’s $46.7M in their second weekend and HAUNTED MANSION’s opening of $24.1M.
It was an impressive recovery from last weekend when the year-over-year comparison looked bleak compared with last year’s dual openings of BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER. The quick turnaround bodes well for the health of the movie business and its outlook for the rest of 2024.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’s impressive total was the biggest opening ever for an R-rated movie, shattering the previous record held by the first DEADPOOL which earned $132.4M in the weekend of February 12-14, 2016.
It was the 8th biggest opening of all time, just ahead of BLACK PANTHER which opened to $202.0M from February 16-18, 2018. DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is the third movie in the DEADPOOL franchise that has drawn large audiences since it first arrived in 2016.
DEADPOOL FRANCHISE BOX OFFICE RESULTS
- DEADPOOL (2/12/2016) – Opening Domestic $132.4M, Total Domestic $363.1M, Budget $58M, RT Critics/Audience 85%/90%
- DEADPOOL 2 (5/18/2018) – Opening Domestic $125.5M, Total Domestic $324.6M, Budget $110M, RT Critics/Audience 84%/86%
- DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (7/26/2024) – Opening Domestic $205M, Budget $200M, RT Critics/Audience 79%/97%
After this huge opening, the current chapter stands a good chance of being the highest-grossing movie in the DEADPOOL franchise. It may even become the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, surpassing THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST which earned $371M in the U.S. and Canada in 2004, and JOKER which earned $1.078B worldwide in 2019.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is benefiting from a masterstroke in casting, teaming up the wise-cracking Deadpool with Wolverine, a popular Marvel character in his own right. While recovering from his injuries, Wolverine crosses paths with Deadpool and the two agree to join forces to defeat a common enemy.
The movie is directed by Shawn Levy (FREE GUY) and stars Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. While the Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score has drifted down to a franchise-low 79%, audiences have weighed in with a series-best rating of 97%.
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE signals a return to form for superhero movies after conventional wisdom had concluded that the genre was past its prime. A few things are working in the favor of this movie, including the combination of two characters with strong fan bases, the likeability and bankability of star Ryan Reynolds, and pent-up demand after a six-year hiatus after the last movie in the series. Its irreverent tone may also be a factor and a good match to the current mood in society.
Even with a production cost soaring to $200M, the total box office it will generate should make money for Disney and Marvel. After earning $205.0M in its opening weekend, it will only take 10-14 days before it crosses the threshold of $500M in worldwide ticket sales to cross over into profitability. Looking ahead, the DEADPOOL franchise has a bright future with several more stories to tell.
Last weekend’s top movie TWISTERS took second place by earning $35.3M in its second weekend, a decline of 57%. After 10 days, it has grossed $154.9M domestically and $374.2M worldwide. Despite the all-eclipsing arrival of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, TWISTERS should continue to have a successful summer, based on positive word-of-mouth as indicated by its 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its swirling action is well-suited to the big screen.
The box office for the original TWISTER in 1996 also benefitted from positive word-of-mouth, dropping by only 10%, in its second weekend.
TWISTER/TWISTERS AFTER 10 DAYS
- TWISTER (5/10/1996) – Opening Weekend Domestic $41.1M ($82.1M adjusted*), First 10 Days Domestic $97.4M ($195.0M adjusted*), Second Weekend Drop 10%, Total Domestic $241.8M ($484.2M adjusted*), Total Worldwide $494.6M ($990.4M adjusted*), Budget $90M ($180.2M adjusted*), RT Critics/Audience 67%/76%
- TWISTERS (7/19/2024) – Opening Weekend Domestic $81.3M, First 10 Days Domestic $154.9M, Second Weekend Drop 57%, Budget $155M, RT Critics/Audience 58%/92%
* 1996 Dollars Adjusted to 2024 Dollars to Reflect Inflation
Universal and Illumination’s DESPICABLE ME 4 continues to perform admirably, finishing in third place this weekend with an additional $14.2M, a decline of 42%. After 26 days in theatres, its total stands at $291.0M domestic and $617.8M worldwide.
DESPICABLE ME/MINIONS FRANCHISE AFTER 3rd WEEKEND
- MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (7/1/2022) – Opening $107.0M, After 24 Days $298.2M, 4th Weekend Drop 33%, Total Domestic $370.2M, Total Worldwide $940.2M, Budget $80M
- DESPICABLE ME 2 (7/3/2013) – Opening $83.5M, After 26 Days $306.8M, 4th Weekend Drop 34%, Total Domestic $368.1M, Total Worldwide $970.8M, Budget $76M
- MINIONS (7/10/2015) – Opening $115.7M, After 24 Days $287.6M, 4th Weekend Drop 46%, Total Domestic $335.0M, Total Worldwide $1.2B, Budget $74M
- DESPICABLE ME 3 (6/30/2017) – Opening $72.4M, After 24 Days $213.6M, 4th Weekend Drop 33%, Total Domestic $264.6M, Total Worldwide $1.0B, Budget $80M
- DESPICABLE ME (7/9/2010) – Opening $56.3M, After 24 Days $190.3M, 4th Weekend Drop 35%, Total Domestic $251.6M, Total Worldwide $543.3M, Budget $69M
- DESPICABLE ME 4 (7/3/2024) – Opening $75.0M, After 26 Days $291.0M, 4th Weekend Drop 42%, Budget $100
DESPICABLE ME 4 will wind up as either the third or fourth highest-grossing movie from the series, with an outside chance of reaching $1B in worldwide ticket sales.
Disney and Pixar’s INSIDE OUT 2 finished in fourth place by adding $8.3M this weekend, a drop of 35%. It is now the highest-grossing animated movie of all time in the domestic market, with its $613.4M surpassing the $608.6M earned by INCREDIBLES 2 in 2018.
BATTLE FOR THE HIGHEST-GROSSING ANIMATED FILM OF ALL TIME
- INCREDIBLES 2 (6/15/2018) – After 45 Days $572.9M, Total Domestic $608.6M
- INSIDE OUT 2 (6/14/2024) – After 45 Days $613.4M
Among animated films, the $1.482B worldwide total for INSIDE OUT 2 places it higher than the $1.454B earned by FROZEN II in 2019 and 2020 but lower than the $1.663B earned by Disney’s THE LION KING remake of 2019. Some consider THE LION KING remake to be a live-action film, utilizing a process known as “photorealistic” animation that differs significantly from traditional or computer-based animation.
Neon’s horror film LONGLEGS finished in fifth place with $6.8M this weekend, a drop of 43%. Its 17-day total of $58.6M has pushed it past PARASITE to become the highest-grossing title in the domestic market in the seven-year history of the indie studio.
LONGLEGS PASSES PARASITE AS NEON’S TOP-GROSSING MOVIE OF ALL TIME
LONGLEGS (7/12/24) – Opening Weekend Domestic $22.6M, Total Domestic $58.6M, Budget $9.0M, RT Critics/Audience 86%/61%
PARASITE (10/11/19) – Opening Weekend Domestic $393K, Total Domestic $53.4M, Budget $11.4M, RT Critics/Audience 99%/90%
WHERE ARE WE AS OF 7/25
After 29 weeks, the 2024 year-to-date box office is 79% of 2023 totals and 66% of 2019 totals at this same point in the year.
