The mystical arts are about to blow the multiverse wide open, as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has landed in theaters. Though critical reaction to the MCU’s latest movie has been mixed, that hasn’t stopped comic book movie fans from heading out in force. We now know the result of that initial round of excitement, as Sam Raimi’s return to the Marvel canon brought in $36 million from its Thursday night previews.
Those results may not sound like a typical night out at the movies for the juggernaut that is Kevin Feige’s fiefdom, but Deadline helped put those numbers into better perspective. It was mentioned in the report that Doctor Strange 2’s take from a pandemic-era early showing only falls behind the debut of the film that helped set it up, Spider-Man: No Way Home. Perhaps the most impressive figure mentioned is the fact that Benedict Cumberbatch’s latest solo-MCU effort only fell $3 million short of the Thursday showings for the pre-pandemic hit Avengers: Infinity War.
Looking into the extended forecast for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there’s an estimate of $160 million that’s supposed to signal where the movie will land for its total first weekend. That doesn’t seem like a bridge too far, as Dr. Stephen Strange’s return has sold the most pre-sale tickets of any film this year so far. IMAX fans made a huge dent as well, landing the film the fifth highest Thursday opening of all time for the format, so that’s bound to show in the results too.
The next couple of weeks are going to be interesting when it comes to Doctor Strange 2’s potential competition. The next major films heading down the line are Downton Abbey: A New Era, which does have the potential to unseat the good doctor/sorcerer. If the Dowager Countess could take out Rambo, then the third weekend of a Marvel movie doesn’t seem like that big a deal. Though if that doesn’t do it, then Top Gun: Maverick’s May 27th release almost assuredly would end the reign of Marvel’s new kid on the block.
Movie theaters are seeing attendance slowly returning to normal, or at least that seems to be the case with movies like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Looking at the numbers so far, there seems to be a solid hit headed into Marvel Studios’ library; it’s just a question of how big of a haul to expect when it finishes its run. Of course, some are probably turning their minds to Thor: Love and Thunder, thanks to the film’s first trailer featuring prominently in the run up to this feature presentation.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has officially opened, and it’s just beginning its mystical theatrical run. To check on what other upcoming movies are headed our way, there’s a handy guide that spells it all out for you. For those of you that have seen the movie, you can head to our breakdown on Doctor Strange 2's huge ending.
