Avengers: Endgame is expected to become one of the biggest movie events in history. Tickets are already practically sold out everywhere weeks ahead of the April 26th premiere and it seems likely that the film will shatter box office records and go down as one of the highest grossing features of all-time.
Yet when all is said and done, there’s a strong possibility that the movie may not even be Disney’s biggest moneymaker of 2019.
As crazy as it might sound, the superhero film’s competition may draw away from some of its revenue in the weeks following its debut. Most notably, Detective Pikachu comes out on May 10th and could threaten Avengers: Endgame at the box office.
The Pokémon franchise has an international following that rivals that of even Marvel. A flick in which Ryan Reynolds voices a wise-cracking Pikachu is likely to sell a lot of tickets, then, perhaps affecting the bottom line of the latest Avengers installment.
Meanwhile, another iconic Disney franchise is launching its next chapter later in the year. On December 20th, Star Wars: Episode IX will enrapture audiences all over the globe. The film is already poised to be a massive blockbuster hit that could rival Avengers: Endgame and the only competition it has to face is from Jumanji 2, which isn’t expected to make nearly as much as Detective Pikachu.
Plus, the Star Wars franchise has already shown that it can hold its own against the budding Jumanji franchise, as it did in 2017. Despite over performing at the box office, the Dwayne Johnson-led reboot paled in comparison to the overwhelming success of The Last Jedi.
This competition between the two powerful franchises is certainly an interesting storyline to watch for the rest of 2019. Bragging rights are on the line for both the Avengers and Star Wars fandoms, but either way, Disney will certainly be very pleased with the end result.
Published: Apr 5, 2019 02:23 pm