Cassie Lang (Katherine Newton) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in “Ant-Man and the Wasp in Quantummania”.
disney
disney and Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” grossed an estimated $104 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend.
The 31st Marvel Cinematic Universe film marked the beginning of the fifth installment of the decades-long franchise and established the next major villain for the series – Kang. The character was first seen in the Disney+ series “Loki”.
“Quantumania” nearly doubled the domestic earnings of the first standalone Ant-Man film in 2015 and is the 31st consecutive MCU release to debut at number one at the domestic box office.
“Marvel has probably been more under the microscope in the time since Endgame, as they sometimes don’t quite register with critics and/or audiences as the brand is used to, with multiple movies and streaming series that have made this release even more so. It’s significant because it promises to kickstart Phase 5,” said Sean Robbins, principal analyst at BoxOffice.com.
“While some critics didn’t take to the third Ant-Man entry, audiences still turned up in strong numbers for the film, with more tickets sold on opening weekend than any prior Ant-Man release,” he said.
Internationally, “Quantumania” earned $121 million, bringing its estimated global take to $225 million for its three-day run.
“The power of the Marvel brand to drive moviegoers to the multiplex is undeniable and the excitement surrounding the fifth phase of the MCU makes ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania’ essential viewing for any fan looking forward to this new era.” The ongoing Marvel saga,” said comScore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian.
According to intelligence data, the film is expected to have over 7 million footfalls at the theaters this weekend. it is more than double sony’s “Uncharted” drew during last year’s Presidents Day weekend.
Dergarabedian of Comscore said, “This is the first blockbuster opener of Presidents Weekend 2023.” “‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ sets in motion what looks like week after week of solid film and builds momentum for a solid summer movie season.”
Additionally, 28% of ticket buyers opted for premium format theaters, paying an average of $4.29 more per ticket.
More foot traffic and higher ticket spending are good signs for the overall movie theater industry, which suffered greatly during the pandemic and is still recovering.
Robbins of BoxOffice.com said, “We often talk about rotating dates on the calendar as potential turnaround points, and this weekend was the latest for the film industry.” “After a brief drop in tentpole releases after the holidays, a better-than-expected January and this healthy result from ‘Quantumania’ pave the way for a significant pick-up in high-profile theatrical content as March begins.”
“All told, 2023 is still in its infancy, but is thus living up to expectations as a year theaters and studios can get excited about,” he said.