Source: Marvel
The MCU hasn’t been letting up since a barrage of delays in the year prior. Its previous releases have been remarkably well-received by critics and audiences alike, akin to the eventful releases of the MCU’s theatrical counterparts; the several TV series that have been released on Disney Plus have been phenomenal, to say the least. On the theatrical side of the slate of Marvel releases, Black Widow keeps the momentum going, setting the marvelous tone for future releases.
Black Widow garnered a remarkable $80 million in its first weekend, breaking records and crushing the benchmark for the biggest box office debut since the global pandemic. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as the eponymous Black Widow, the MCU’s first female avenger. The film is directed by Cate Shortland, the director of films such as While at War, Berlin Syndrome, and Lore.
Originally slated for a 2020 premiere, Black Widow was severely delayed due to the global pandemic. After a long and grueling release schedule, audiences have expressed that it’s been well worth the wait. All of the film’s players have done an excellent job at delivering an exceptional film that continues a legacy of creative excellence within the revitalized Marvel Cinematic Universe.
With a massively successful theatrical release, Black Widow is setting a fantastic precedent for movie theaters that have been struggling to recover due to the global pandemic. Mass closures, capacity restrictions, and a low audience turnout have ravaged the movie theater industry, but Marvel seems to be changing all of that.
Universal’s F9: The Fast Saga previously broke box office records within the pandemic by debuting at $10.8 million. Black Widow completely shadows that achievement by becoming the new impossibly high benchmark. For the first time since the onset of the global pandemic, the domestic box office has surpassed $100 million in total revenues.
Currently, the overall weekend tally stands at $117 million, according to Comscore. Box office experts can rest assured that movie theaters can be revitalized and good films will bring audiences to the cinema, Black Widow serves as a testament to that statement.
“Having a record number of pandemic-era patrons at the multiplex being exposed to in-theater marketing and trailers on the big screen will help boost interest moving forward,” says Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst with Comscore. “However, the box office ebb and flow will continue as theaters work their way back to 100% availability.”
The success of Marvel’s Black Widow is a great win for movie theaters and movie fans alike. As the world inches closer toward returning to normalcy and the dust of the global pandemic settles, we can finally reclaim the events and the moments that we seem to have lost in the year prior.
Black Widow is only the beginning, as more Marvel films are slated to be released during the year. As the MCU reaches a new era, the pinnacle of cinematic experiences and the breadth of storytelling will only reach unprecedented heights. It’s such a great time to be a fan of movies, and the world is lucky to have these forms of entertainment that can bring out the best in all of us.
