411 Box Office Report: Deadpool & Wolverine Smashes Records With $205 Million Start

The Marvel Cinematic Universe returned in force at the box office this weekend as Deadpool & Wolverine had a record-breaking #1 start. The third Deadpool film opened to $205 million, above the $170 million to $180 million that was expected going into the weekend, to easily claim the top spot. The opening is the best start for a film in 2024, surpassing the $154.2 million start of Inside Out 2 in June, and the best opening for any film since Spider-Man: No Way Home opened to $260.1 million December of 2021.

If you’re surprised that the projections for the film were as low as they were, remember: this is an R-rated film, which is an automatic barrier for a lot of the potential audience. Deadpool & Wolverine easily set the record for a highest opening weekend for an R-rated film, blowing past the record set by the original Deadpool’s $132.4 million in February of 2016. The film also set the all-time opening weekend record for July (beating the live-action The Lion King’s $191.8 million in 2019) and is the eighth-best opening weekend of all-time, just behind The Avengers’ $207.4 million start in May of 2012.

Obviously, all eyes were on the Merc With a Mouth and Logan to lift the box office this weekend and suffice to say they delivered. Anticipation was sky-high for the film, and the largely positive reviews (a 79% aggregated positive score on Rotten Tomatoes) did nothing to dispel that. Audiences are responding too, with a 97% RT audience score and an A CinemaScore, matching the two previous Deadpool movies. That buzz and word of mouth helped the film’s projected numbers climb throughout the weekend.

Deadpool & Wolverine also scored the best worldwide opening weekend for an R-rated film as it added $233.3 million overseas for a $438.3 million worldwide total. That’s a stellar start for the film, which helps put the MCU back on course after a few bumps in the road during the rest of Phase Four.

How high will the film go from here? Good question. If it follows the trajectory of the Deadpool franchise so far, then it’s looking likely for around $540 million domestically. That seems like a good bet and would put the film in the top six of the MCU, between The Avengers ($623.4 million) and Age of Ultron ($459.1 million). There’s always the chance that it marks better than expected holds or, if the opening weekend hype frontloaded it more than expected, drops further. It doesn’t seem at all likely to end up with less than $500 million though, and suffice it to say the film is a massive hit.

Twisters took an expected dip in its second weekend thanks to its better-than-expected start and running into the MCU this frame, down 57% to $35.3 million. That’s still a very solid number for the disaster sequel. The film now has $154.9 million domestically and $221.2 million worldwide, doing solid numbers even against a $155 million budget. It still looks easily on par for $200 million domestically and is a money maker for Universal.

Despicable Me 4 was down a spot to #3 in its third week as it eased 42% to $14.2 million. The weekend brings the animated sequel to $291 million domestically and $677.7 million worldwide to date, a massive hit against a $100 million production budget. The film taking aim at $320 million or more by the time it leaves theaters which will make Universal, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination very happy.

Inside Out 2’s set records of its own this weekend as it was down 35% to in its seventh frame to $8.3 million. That puts the Pixar sequel at $613.4 million domestically and $1.51 billion worldwide. The film is now the highest-grossing animated film of all-time, passing The Incredibles 2’s $608.6 million mark, and is the 15th-highest domestic grossing film ever. It should be able to close out at around $635 million and perhaps more, which would be about for around the #12 spot on the all-time domestic gross list. The budget was $200 million.

Longlegs is also setting records as it became NEON’s highest-domestic grossing film ever. The Osgood Perkins film was down 43% to $6.8 million, raising its totals to $58.6 million stateside and $65.7 million worldwide. That passes Parasite’s $53.4 million total in the US, though Parasite has much more worldwide at a $262.1 million total. Longlegs is a major hit for the studio against a $10 million budget and another example of horror scoring at the box office. It should end its US run around $70 million, which is huge for this bizarre, slow-burn horror entry.

A Quiet Place: Day One was down 52% in its fifth weekend to bring in $3 million. The sci-fi horror prequel is now at $134.2 million domestically and $253.7 million worldwide against its $60 million budget, quite profitable for Paramount. It should end its domestic run somewhere in the $145 million range.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die still has gas in the tank, down 52% in its eighth weekend to $1.3 million. The action sequel now grossed $191.7 million stateside and $395.2 million worldwide, a hit considering its $90 million budget. It should finish off with around $195 million in the US.

Opening at #8 as counterprogramming was The Fabulous Four. The ensemble Bleecker Street comedy was very quiet, not surprising given Bleecker’s typical low marketing and the lack of buzz. A 27% RT critic average isn’t going to cut it when you’re trying to appeal to women, and the 52% RT audience score isn’t helping word of mouth. This is right around where the studio’s films tend to open, and we’re not likely to see it last in the top 10.

Fly Me To the Moon continues to sink, down a vicious 77% in its third weekend to just $750,000. Stick a fork in this one, because it’s done. The film has just $19.1 million stateside and $36.9 million worldwide against a $100 budget and won’t make it past $22 million.

Indian Tamil-language crime drama Raayan closed out the top 10, opening with $378,000. The film has $453,000 total in the US and $3.3 million worldwide.

Next weekend will Deadpool and Wolverine stay on top with ease. New films include M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, which is targeting around $20 million, and the animated Harold and the Purple Crayon which is looking to be in the mid-single digits.

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Deadpool & Wolverine – $205 million ($205 million total, $438.3 million WW)
2. Twisters – $35.3 million ($154.9 million total, $221.2 million WW)
3. Despicable Me 4 – $14.2 million ($291 million total, $677.7 million WW)
4. Inside Out 2 – $8.3 million ($613.4 million total, $1.51 billion WW)
5. Longlegs – $6.8 million ($58.6 million total, $65.7 million WW)
6. A Quiet Place: Day One – $3 million ($134.2 million total, $253.7 million WW)
7. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die – $1.3 million ($191.7 million total, $395.2 million WW)
8. The Fabulous Four – $1 million ($1 million total, $1 million WW)
9. Fly Me To the Moon – $750,000 ($19.1 million total, $36.9 million WW)
10. Raayan – $378,000 ($453,000 total, $3.3 million WW)