Disney's latest blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine headlines this weekend's UK-Ireland box office, aiming to revive the recent fortunes of the once-mi
Disney’s latest blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine headlines this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, aiming to revive the recent fortunes of the once-mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
A sequel to Deadpool and Deadpool 2 as well as a follow-up to Logan, the film sees Deadpool pulled from his quiet life by the Time Variance Authority and set on a mission to save his universe – during which he collides with Wolverine from another universe.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprise their roles as the titular superheroes, with Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin and Screen Stars of Tomorrow Emma Corrin and Dafne Keen also among the cast.
Deadpool & Wolverine is the 34th MCU film. After the first five titles all took between £8.3m and £21.2m, 2012’s Avengers Assemble changed the nature of blockbuster box office takings with a huge £51.9m UK-Ireland gross, closing out MCU ‘Phase One.’
That level became the norm, with 16 of the 24 films in Phases Two, Three and Four taking more than £30m; and seven of them taking more than £40m.
However Phase Five of the series has seen takings start to drop off. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania fell short of the £20m mark in spring last year; and while Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 made £36.7m, it was down on the £41m of the previous Guardians film.
The Marvels, released in November 2023, hit a new low: its £3.5m opening was the third-lowest in the entire franchise, with the lowest opening location average of £5,203. It ended on £7.2m – the lowest-grossing MCU title to date, behind the £8.3m of 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
However, with Deadpool & Wolverine, the track record of the two frenemies as they enter the franchise offers hope for Disney. 2016’s Deadpool opened to £10m on its way to a £38.1m total; while Deadpool 2 started with £7.7m and ended on £32.9m, both through Fox.
It is the ninth film to star Jackman as Wolverine, with the previous eight existing in the X-Men franchise, the highest-grossing of which was 2014’s X-Men: Days Of Future Past with £27.3m. Logan, a spin-off Wolverine film starring Jackman and Keen, opened to £6.9m in 2017, ending on a decent £23.9m.
MCU titles tend to be front-loaded, meaning they make bigger-than-average portion of their total box office in the first week or two of the run, then drop off at a faster rate than other films.
Independent challengers
Picturehouse Entertainment’s About Dry Grasses premiered in Competition at Cannes 2023, winning the best actress prize for Merve Dizdar; and going on to become Turkey’s entry to the 2024 Oscars.
The film follows a teacher working in rural eastern Anatolia with hopes of moving to Istanbul – who is then accused of abusing a student.
Park Circus is opening Jane Schoenbrun’s psychological drama I Saw The TV Glow in 45 cinemas. A Sundance 2024 premiere which then played Berlin and SXSW, the film follows two young friends whose connection to their favourite TV show drives them to question their reality and identities.
Yash Raj Films is opening Arfaz Ayub’s drama Level Cross in 63 cinemas. The film follows a modern girl and an unruly man from different worlds who meet and discover similarities about their lives.
New Wave Films is opening Tatiana Huezo’s Berlinale 2023 Encounters title The Echo in eight UK sites. A documentary about a remote Mexican mountain community, it is Mexican filmmaker Huezo’s first feature since Cannes 2021 title Prayers For The Stolen.
FAQs
Will Deadpool & Wolverine revive the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s box office fortunes?
Disney hopes that the new film will bring about a change in the box office’s fortunes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But will it succeed in doing so?
Will the track record of Deadpool & Wolverine as a duet in the franchise offer a turning point for Disney?
As seen in the article, the success of Deadpool 1 and 2 as a sequel and a follow-up, respectively, indicate that the duet of Deadpool & Wolverine has the potential to draw in audiences.
Will independent films compete with MCU titles at the box office?
Yes, independent films like About Dry Grasses, I Saw the TV Glow, Level Cross, and The Echo will compete with MCU titles like Deadpool & Wolverine at the box office. These independent films might have a chance to bring in a dedicated audience who are more interested in artistic or niche filmmaking.
Will summer holdovers affect the success of new releases?
With summer holdovers like Despicable Me 4, Twisters, Inside Out 2, and Longlegs already hitting the cinemas, new releases like Deadpool & Wolverine, About Dry Grasses, I Saw the TV Glow, Level Cross, and The Echo might face stiff competition.
What does the future hold for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Only time will tell what the future holds for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether Deadpool & Wolverine succeeds in reviving the franchise or independent films take the spotlight remains to be seen.
Conclusion
With the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, the Marvel Cinematic Universe seeks to revitalize its box office fortune. Meanwhile, independent films like About Dry Grasses, I Saw the TV Glow, Level Cross, and The Echo await their turn to captivate audiences and challenge the dominance of MCU titles. The battle for box office supremacy is about to unfold.
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