DOCTOR STRANGE is Tracking Upwards of a $75 Million-Plus Domestic Opening Weekend



Deadline is (now) reporting DOCTOR STRANGE is tracking for a $50 – $75 million opening weekend here in the U.S. This is just a little higher when compared to their last prediction of $50 – $60M as well as getting closer to our 'way-too-early box office prediction' of $70 – $80M from September 1.

Based on what we saw at our IMAX 15-minute preview screening of DOCTOR STRANGE, this past Monday, our projection is definitely closer to the $80M range now. The buzz is real, folks, because it looks visually spectacular and unlike anything you've seen in a movie in a very long time.

Simply for comparison purposes, since Marvel Studios dropped THOR: THE DARK WORLD in November 2013 it brought in $85M in its domestic opening weekend and DOCTOR STRANGE seems destined to achieve a similar amount. Give or take.

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Here's our original way-too-early prediction post from Sept. 1 in its entirety...
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Today is September 1, which is the unfortunate truth that the summer box office season has pretty much come to a close. Next up, is the fall box office season and the biggest (and only) movie, at least that we here at DailySuperHero.com cover, coming out is Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE.

With just over two months until its release, on November 4 here in the states, there is already a way-too-early box office opening weekend prediction, via Deadline. They are making their guess that DOCTOR STRANGE could open (domestically) to the tune of $50 million – $60 million. Again, this is a way-too-early and highly conservative estimate as of right now.

But, let's you take some quantitative data and cross reference Marvel Studios' past domestic opening weekend numbers for their first solo introduction movies:

  • IRON MAN opened to $98M
  • THOR opened to $65M
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER opened to $65M
  • THE INCREDIBLE HULK opened to $55M
  • GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY opened to $94M
  • ANT-MAN opened with $57M

Now, when you find the mean average of the studios' solo intro movie domestic openings it equates to a $72M average opening for these films. Using this simple mathematical method, it's really easy to see why DOCTOR STRANGE is already projecting for a $50M – $60M opening.

However, DOCTOR STRANGE opens against minimal competition, bad move by Fox and DreamWorks to release TROLLS on the same weekend, and it will most likely open bigger. Especially when you factor in the large fan base for actor Benedict Cumberbatch into the equation.

As of right now, our best prediction for its domestic opening weekend is closer to the $70M – $80M range. This projection could/will/should go up as the hype builds and as the release date gets closer.

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DOCTOR STRANGE opens in the states on November 4.



Related Posts:
DOCTOR STRANGE: IMAX 15 Minute Preview Opened, Expanded and Blew Many Minds Tonight