Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in US history with a domestic total of $395.6 million after its second weekend. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ which stood for 20 years at $370 million. The film earned an impressive $97 million in its second weekend, marking the eighth-biggest second weekend in box office history.Globally, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has amassed $824.1 million, already surpassing the worldwide totals of the first two ‘Deadpool’ films. The movie is now on track to potentially reach the coveted $1 billion mark in the coming days or weeks. This performance puts it within striking distance of becoming one of the highest-grossing R-rated films globally, currently trailing only ‘Joker’ ($1.074 billion) and ‘Oppenheimer’ ($975.2 million).The film’s success stands in stark contrast to its competitors. M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ opened to a modest $15.6 million, while ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’ debuted with just $6 million. Industry analyst David A. Gross noted that ‘Trap’s’ opening was ‘soft’ for a Shyamalan thriller, suggesting it may struggle to break even on its $35 million budget.The triumph of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is being hailed as a turning point for the superhero genre and big franchises in Hollywood, which have been slow to recover since the pandemic and actors’ strike. The film’s success has also helped Hollywood close July with its best month in a year and its first month of $1 billion since July 2023.
Key points
- ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has become the highest-grossing R-rated film in US history with $395.
- The film has earned $824.
- The movie’s success contrasts with competitors like ‘Trap’ and ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’, which had modest openings.
- The film’s performance has helped boost Hollywood’s box office, making July the best month in a year.
6 million domestically.
1 million globally and is on track to potentially reach $1 billion.
