Godzilla vs. Kong may have breathed new life into the stagnant box office, but there’s still a long way to go until things return to normal. Indeed, while a five-day haul of $48 million might’ve smashed every record set during the pandemic era, it’s certainly much less than half of what a $200 million blockbuster sequel would be expected to earn under regular circumstances.
One of the first major titles to be delayed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic was the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Widow, which is arriving fourteen months behind schedule in July, with a Disney Plus Premier Access hybrid release to boot. However, a new report indicates that pushing Natasha Romanoff’s solo debut back for so long has more than tripled its chances at finding commercial success.
Apparently, had Black Widow hit theaters last May as planned, its entire domestic haul was projected to top out at $45 million. However, now that large swathes of the industry have reopened, in particular key markets New York and Los Angeles, the long-awaited superhero adventure could close out its theatrical run with a tally as high as $170 million.
While that’s miles away from the typical MCU outing, it would be a huge win in the COVID-19 era, especially when Cate Shortland’s film will be available from day one to Disney Plus’ subscriber base of over 100 million as well. The report also goes on to say that Black Widow may score a $63 million opening weekend, and while that would be the third lowest in the franchise’s history after The Incredible Hulk‘s $55 million and Ant-Man‘s $57 million, it would nonetheless be a more than solid debut given the limitations on any movie these days in terms of maximizing its earning potential.