(L-R: Rachel McAdams plays Dr. Christine Palmer, Benedict Cumberbatch plays Dr. Stephen Strange, Xochitl Gombez portrays America Chavez in Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGEIN THE MULTIVERSE of MADNESS. Marvel Studios. Photo by Xochitl Gomez. (c)Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
In the Multiverse of Madness, Walt Disney reports that Doctor Strange has earned $27.2 million during its overseas debut. The MCU sequel opens in domestic advance-night previews today at 3:00 p.m. In 20 markets, including France, Germany, and Italy, it will also be available in Japan, South Korea, Japan, Japan, South Korea, and Japan. It earned $5.9million in South Korea, $3.8million in Japan, and $3 million in France.
It was the second-largest opening day in Malaysia, behind Avengers Endgame. It also had the most significant Covid-era opening day in many territories (Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and the Philippines) and the biggest opening day in Belgium since The Rise of Skywalker. This week, it will open worldwide except for China, Russia, and Ukraine.
Consider the reasons China didn’t approve the last few MCU flicks. A brief mention of America Chavez having two moms and an onscreen newsstand for Epoch Times in Doctor Strange2. Too much screentime for Statue of Liberty Spider-Man 2.
If Universal’s Jurassic World doesn’t reach the $225-$265million gross of its predecessors and Avatar, it might not be worth mentioning whether Hollywood films are allowed to play in China.
Comparative like-for-like results are 4% lower than Spider-Man, +153% above Doctor Strangein mid-2016, and 210% higher than Batman. My impression so far is that Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange, in the Multiverse of Madness, is less like a solo MCU summer launch film (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which made $869 million worldwide in 2017, is more like an MCU event movie/mythology series summer kick-off flick (Captain America, Civil War which made $1.155 billion globally in 2016).
This is the “big question,” regardless of what it may have earned in China (over/under $122.5 million seems right in conventional times). It could also differentiate between a domestic launch of $145 million and an international debut worth $180 million. It has already earned $3.5 million in Mexico, $2.7 million in Brazil, and a record $1.9million in Australia. The total amount for the entire Latin American region is $10.3 million. Add all that together, and we get just over $40 million for the end of Wednesday. It also earned $8.8million in Korea on Thursday, bringing its total cume to $48.2 million.
With solid reviews, decent buzz, and the usual prestige/anticipation granted to an MCU summer opener going way back to Iron Man in 2008, the Benedict Cumberbatch/Elizabeth Olsen/Xochitl Gomez sci-fi horror fantasy looks set for a domestic debut somewhere between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. The Last Jedi ($220m) and 2 ($146m). Even a jump of Winter Soldier ($95 million) to Civil War ($179 million) would still be “only” $165 million.
