'Deadpool & Wolverine' set for $360M worldwide opening
What's the story
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's newest film, Deadpool & Wolverine, featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, is predicted to have a robust debut at the box office in India and globally this Friday.
According to Deadline, the movie is anticipated to gross approximately $360M worldwide on its opening weekend.
The US market alone is projected to contribute between $160-170M, potentially making it the highest-grossing opening for an A-rated film (R-rated in the US).
Indian market
Indian box office predicts strong start for 'Deadpool & Wolverine'
In India, Deadpool & Wolverine is expected to rank among the top five biggest Hollywood openers at the box office.
The film has already seen significant traction in advance booking with approximately ₹1.25 lakh tickets sold so far, as reported by Koimoi.
With two days left until release, ticket sales are projected to reach around 1.65-1.75 lakh, potentially bringing the Day 1 total to an estimated ₹15-20 crore.
Rating impact
A-rating may impact 'Deadpool & Wolverine' family audience appeal
Despite the film's promising projections, its A-rating in India could potentially limit its appeal among family audiences, a demographic that has traditionally supported other Marvel superhero movies.
However, despite this potential drawback, dedicated superhero fans are expected to turn out in large numbers during the opening weekend.
The current record holder for the biggest Hollywood film at the Indian box office is Avatar: The Way of Water, which collected ₹391.4 crore from the Indian market alone.
Record-breaking opening
'Deadpool & Wolverine' poised to join top Indian openers
Only three Indian films have managed an opening of/over ₹15 crore this year: Fighter with ₹22.5 crore, Kalki 2898 AD (₹95.3 crore), and Shaitaan at ₹15.21 crore on Day 1.
Deadpool & Wolverine is set to become the fourth film to achieve this level of opening in India.
The film's advance booking began a few days ago and has already sold over 1L tickets, recording a ₹5 crore gross for its opening day (including block seats), as reported by Sacnilk.
Box office competition
'Deadpool & Wolverine' may surpass 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'
Deadpool & Wolverine is expected to cross the ₹30 crore gross mark on Day 1 of its release at the Indian box office, potentially surpassing the opening day figure of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which collected ₹32.67 crore nett in India on the first day.
The film is a sequel to Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018) and provides MCU fans with an opportunity to see two superheroes from different universes coming together.