Box office: $282 million worldwide debut for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3′

By Lindsey Bahr, AP Screenwriter

There’s nothing quite like the promise of an ending chapter to draw people into the movies, especially when tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This weekend, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which says goodbye to this iteration of space misfits and its driving creative voice, director James Gunn, grossed $114 million in ticket sales from 4,450 locations in North America, according to Sunday studio estimates.

Internationally, where the film opened in 52 territories including China, “Vol. 3″ earned $168 million, earning it a $282 million worldwide launch.

Domestically, that’s both an impressive sum for any movie and a bit less than we’d expect from a Marvel opening. Last year, the same weekend, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” based on the hit “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” raked in $187.4 million in its first three days. in North America. And in November, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” also opened over $181.3 million.

But things have come down to earth this year, at least by high-flying superhero standards. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” debuted at just over $106 million on its way to $474 million worldwide. At rival studio DC/Warner Bros., “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” only grossed $133.4 million in total. The question on some analysts’ minds this weekend is whether that’s because of the specific character or a larger issue of ” superhero fatigue”.

“Guardians Vol. 3″ ousted “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” from the top spot after four weekends atop the charts and kicked off the summer movie season, a vital and usually profitable streak for Hollywood that runs through Labor Day and often accounts for 40% of a box office of the year.

For Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian, it’s still a strong opener for the summer season, which he says is poised to deliver the strongest earnings since 2019.

“Although ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s debut may reflect a bit of audience fatigue for the dependable superhero genre, this is just the start of what promises to be an irresistible film market with an appealing mix of films to suit all tastes. and all audiences,” Dergarabedian said. .

The next big superhero movie on the schedule is DC’s “The Flash,” slated for June 16, which has its own wave of storylines surrounding it due to star Ezra Miller’s legal and personal troubles.

“Watchmen Vol. 3″ sees the return of actors Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Reviews have been mostly positive, but a little more divided than previous installments And it remains difficult to compare a pre-pandemic opening such as Vol.2’s $146 million debut (May 2017) with a post-pandemic one.

“Vol. 3” is Gunn’s latest Guardians/Marvel film as he focuses on major DC studios.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” added $18.6 million in its fifth weekend to take second place, bringing its domestic total to $518.1 million. Globally, it has now surpassed $1.1 billion.

Third place went to “Evil Dead Rise” with $5.7 million, and in fourth place was “Are You There God? It’s me, Margaret,” with $3.4 million – both were leftovers.

Studios left the weekend largely clear for the superhero giant, but Screen Gems and Sony have launched their new Priyanka Chopra Jonas romantic comedy “Love Again” (featuring Celine Dion and some new songs) in 2,703 locations. . He made a modest $2.4 million to take fifth place.

Estimated Friday-Sunday ticket sales at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final national figures will be released on Monday.

1. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” $114 million.

2. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” $18.6 million.

3. ‘Evil Dead Rise’, $5.7 million.

4. “Are you there, God?” It’s me, Margaret,” $3.4 million.

5. “Love Again,” $2.4 million.

6. ‘John Wick: Chapter 3’, $2.4 million.

7. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” $1.5 million.

8. “Aerial”, 1.4 million dollars.

9. ‘Guy Ritchie’s Pact’, $1.2 million.

10. “Sisu”, $1.1 million. —-

Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.