The Multiverse pays big! After the success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, Marvel again signs an excellent start at the American box office with “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”.
THE TOP 10 OF THE 2022 AMERICAN BOX OFFICE
| Release | Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Release Date | Distributor |
|---|
| 1 | The Batman | $369,073,021 | 4,417 | $369,073,021 | Mar 4 | Warner Bros. |
| 2 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | $231,633,003 | 4,336 | $804,617,772 | Dec 17 | Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) |
| 3 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | $185,000,000 | 4,534 | $185,000,000 | May 6 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 4 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | $169,901,471 | 4,258 | $169,901,471 | Apr 8 | Paramount Pictures |
| 5 | Uncharted | $146,524,202 | 4,275 | $146,524,202 | Feb 18 | Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) |
| 6 | The Lost City | $94,384,264 | 4,283 | $94,389,264 | Mar 25 | Paramount Pictures |
| 7 | Sing 2 | $86,307,835 | 3,892 | $162,790,990 | Dec 22 | Universal Pictures |
| 8 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore | $86,009,171 | 4,245 | $86,009,171 | Apr 15 | Warner Bros. |
| 9 | Scream | $81,641,405 | 3,666 | $81,641,405 | Jan 14 | Paramount Pictures |
| 10 | Morbius | $71,932,763 | 4,268 | $71,932,763 | Apr 1 | Columbia Pictures |
The top spot for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was obviously expected. On the other hand, it was the level of receipts for Sam Raimi’s feature film that was the center of attention this weekend at the American box office, as the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was launched in 4,534 theaters.
With $185 million raised between May 6 and May 8, Benedict Cumberbatch’s new showdown with the Multiverse does less well than Spider-Man No Way Home (starting at $260 million last December), but much better than the $134 million from The Batman, which had made the best start of 2022 so far.
Doctor Strange 2 also signs, and this is a major point, the second best post-pandemic debut behind No Way Home, and the best start for a Marvel / Disney since COVID, far ahead of Black Widow, Shang-Chi or The Eternals (whose inaugural weekend fluctuated between $80 and $71 million). Doctor Strange 2’s $185 million is also $100 million more than the first Doctor Strange, which made its MCU debut at around $85 million in 2016.
Finally, note that it is still the eleventh best launch of all time, and the eighth best start for a Disney film, all franchises combined. What give major ambitions to the studio with big ears for the upcoming releases of Buzz Lightyear, Thor: Love And Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and especially Avatar: the way of the water in December, including the trailer airs before Doctor Strange 2 screenings.
Source: Box Office Mojo
For those who are curious, watch the film here
