Summary:
- “Deadpool & Wolverine” has earned $824 million globally in two weekends, pushing Disney past $3 billion in 2024.
- Meanwhile, new releases “Trap” and “Harold and the Purple Crayon” struggled to make an impact at the international box office.
The comic book sequel, featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reprising their iconic antihero roles, has already outperformed the entire theatrical runs of 2016’s “Deadpool” ($783 million) and 2018’s “Deadpool 2” ($786 million).
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is now the second-highest-grossing movie of 2024, trailing only “Inside Out 2” ($1.555 billion).
It also ranks as the third-biggest R-rated film in history, following “Joker” ($1.07 billion) and “Oppenheimer” ($975 million). The film is expected to surpass the $1 billion mark within days.
Disney Surpasses $3 Billion in 2024
With the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Disney has become the first studio in 2024 to exceed $3 billion in global ticket sales.
The Magic Kingdom achieved this milestone with only four major releases: “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Inside Out 2,” “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” ($397 million), and “The First Omen” ($53 million).
Disney aims to maintain this momentum with upcoming releases “Alien: Romulus” (Aug. 16), “Moana 2” (Nov. 27), and “Mufasa: The Lion King” (Dec. 20).
International Box Office Success
At the international box office, “Deadpool & Wolverine” earned $110.5 million from 52 territories in its second weekend. The film’s top-performing markets outside the U.S. and Canada include China ($45.2 million), the United Kingdom ($42.4 million), Mexico ($32.8 million), and Australia ($24.6 million).
Premium formats like Imax have significantly contributed to its success, with $17.5 million in global weekend sales and a total of $64.5 million so far.
New Releases Struggle
Meanwhile, new international releases, including M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap” and Sony’s family film “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” failed to captivate audiences.
“Trap” managed a modest $4.4 million from 38 territories, bringing its global opening weekend total to $20 million. The thriller, featuring Josh Hartnett as a serial killer caught in a police sting at a pop concert, marks another underwhelming performance for the horror genre this year.
Despite typically being reliable box office draws, recent horror releases like “The First Omen,” Blumhouse’s “Night Swim” ($54 million globally), the vampire-themed “Abigail” ($42 million globally), and Lionsgate’s “Imaginary” ($39 million globally) have struggled to make an impact.
In contrast, “Harold and the Purple Crayon” flopped with $3 million from 32 overseas markets, overshadowed by the ongoing success of family-friendly films “Inside Out 2” and “Despicable Me 4.”
The film, based on the beloved children’s book and starring Zachary Levi, had a disappointing domestic debut of $6 million against a $40 million production budget. Sony hopes the film will maintain its presence through the summer to salvage its theatrical run.
