Deadpool’s first MCU film is already one of Marvel’s biggest hits of all time

Deadpool and Wolverine have taken their first bow as official members of the Disney universe, and fans have certainly made their excitement known. While Deadpool’s previous two live-action films were both box office winners, the franchise’s third installment immediately broke records and grossed an impressive 100 million copies worldwide.

In the opening weekend, Deadpool and Wolverine grossed over $205 million at the domestic box office, by far the most of any R-rated movie everThe previous R-rated record was held by the original Death Pole, which amounted to a relatively paltry $132 million. Deadpool and Wolverine is the first R-rated film in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, and a clear sign that even a 17+ rating won’t scare away even the biggest Marvel fans.

The record numbers don’t stop there. Deadpool and WolverineThe opening weekend was also the fifth biggest in MCU historyonly $2 million behind the original Avengersand $3 million for Black PantherAll this also brings Deadpool and Wolverine at number 8 on the map of highest ever opening weekend gross for a film.

These would all be impressive stats regardless of when they landed in the MCU timeline, but the success is particularly welcome for Disney right now, as Marvel films continue to suffer from a prolonged decline. While a few recent MCU films, such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3to have pretty well done The studio has been inconsistent at the box office of late, with a number of releases that didn’t appeal to audiences at all. For example, The miraclesthe most recent MCU release before Deadpool and Wolverineonly made $84 million over the entire term. In the meantime, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawhich opened in February 2023, only $214 million under managementa number Deadpool and Wolverine will be overshadowed within days of its release.

While Disney is excited about this return to theaters, it’s unlikely Deadpool’s success will translate to other MCU films. Deadpool and Wolverine‘s tone is radically different from the rest of the MCU, and the story is almost entirely disconnected from Marvel’s current ongoing narrative. On the other hand, Disney is well aware that interest in MCU films is waning. That could be at least part of the reason the company used its panel at San Diego Comic-Con to both to celebrate Deadpool and Wolverine and to announce the return of MCU stalwart Robert Downey Jr., this time in a role as one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, Doctor Doom.