Box office analysts are predicting a $55-60 million opening weekend, which would actually be a soft opening for a Marvel film.
If the predictions prove true, this would be the first film since The Incredible Hulk in 2008 to open below $65 million. That grossed $55.4 million on its opening weekend, and, well, how many Incredible Hulk films have you seen since?
Pro.boxoffice.com reports that the awareness level is 77%, which is the same as Thor: The Dark World at the same point before release, and it went on to earn $85.7 million on it’s opening weekend in November 2013.
However analysts aren’t always accurate. Recently they predicted that Jurassic World would have an opening weekend around the $120-130 million mark. They were wrong, and the film went on to make over $208 million to take the record for the biggest domestic opening weekend of all time, and went on to smash several other records, including fastest to $1 billion worldwide.
Also, these projections are very early, as the film is not due to be released for another few weeks, so there is time for Ant-Man to push a bit more on it’s marketing.
Pro.boxoffice.com also offers some more positive notes about the low score:
“In fact, first tracking is more in line with Fox’s The Wolverine, which also hit theaters in mid-July two years ago. Its “first choice” score of 10 percent is relatively similar to Ant-Man‘s 8 percent. That particular stat will naturally increase in the weeks ahead as more immediate summer tentpoles clear the way (namely Ted 2 and Terminator: Genisys as they appeal to similar core male demographics) and Disney moves into its final marketing phase.”
With early reviews being mostly positive (link to “early reactions” story here?), Ant-Man should hopefully be able to carve out a nice wedge of the summer blockbuster box office cash.
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