Having smashed both projections and records last weekend, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings can officially be deemed an unqualified success. A $71 million three-day debut, a $95 million haul over the Labor Day holiday and a global bow in excess of $140 million is impressive by any standards, never mind the pandemic era.
By the time Monday rolls around, the solo debut of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest Avenger will have comfortably sailed past $200 million at the worldwide box office, and if it scores that rumored release in China before the end of the month then Shang-Chi could be set for a massive windfall should local audiences embrace the film, which is far from a guarantee.
As you might imagine, the 25th installment in the superhero saga is expected to comfortably retain top spot on the domestic charts, with the only real competition coming in the form of James Wan’s Malignant. Despite the filmmaker being one of the horror genre’s biggest names that boasts a pair of billion-dollar hits under his belt thanks to Fast & Furious 7 and Aquaman, an R-rated original title releasing simultaneously on HBO Max won’t come close to catching Shang-Chi.
As per Variety, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is on course for a second weekend in the $26-34 million range, with a 55%-65% drop the standard for MCU titles even when times were certain and precedented. Malignant isn’t even expected to reach double figures, which will be viewed internally as a disappointment, especially when horror has been a reliable performer during COVID times.
