“Guardians of the Galaxy” shocked the analysts with its $94 million opening this weekend, about $20 million more than they had projected.
Disney and Marvel’s superhero space romp — devoid of the well-known characters like Thor, Captain America and Iron Man who made up the Avengers — posted the biggest August opening of all time. And it came in a summer that was in a major slump, running nearly 20 percent behind last summer’s record-breaking box office.
How the heck did Peter “Star Lord” Quill and his rag-tag collection of space misfits pull off the season’s biggest stunner?
There were several factors:
Marvel Matters
The strength of the brand is undeniable and the massive opening for a film based on obscure characters few in the mainstream had ever heard of stands as testament to that.