Disney/Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Brave New World” is on course to meet pre-release projections for its opening weekend after earning $40 million at the box office on Friday from 4,105 theaters.
But while current estimates for its domestic launch stand at $82 million over three days and $94 million over four, the long-term outlook for the film is dimmer given the superhero film’s mixed reception. Along with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 50% critics and 78% audience, “Brave New World” has earned a B- on CinemaScore.
That is lower than the B given to Marvel’s 2023 duds “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels,” which both suffered steep drops in their second weekend as they failed to expand interest beyond hardcore Marvel fans. Any hope for “Captain America” to earn much more beyond $200 million in North America will come down to whether it can beat the odds and buck that trend.
Also opening this weekend is Sony/StudioCanal’s “Paddington in Peru,” which earned $5.1 million from 3,890 theaters and is projected for a $14 million 3-day/$17 million 4-day opening. It is consistent with the unadjusted $15 million 4-day opening of “Paddington 2” on MLK weekend in 2018.
Like its two predecessors, “Paddington in Peru” is enjoying strong word of mouth from family audiences with a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score and an A on CinemaScore. With no family films on the horizon until “Snow White” in late March, Sony is banking on a U.S. run for the film that can meet or exceed the $40 million earned by “Paddington 2.”
Sony is also seeing good numbers for its Screen Gems slasher “Heart Eyes,” which is finding some traction as a date night horror film. The film is set to earn a 3-day second weekend of $9.8 million, putting it fourth on the charts just behind the $10.2 million 3-day third weekend of Universal/DreamWorks’ “Dog Man.”
