Captain Marvel's opening weekend at the box office may top the numbers posted by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. After a record-shattering 2018 that saw two movies cross the $1 billion mark worldwide, Marvel Studios kicks off what should be a huge 2019 with Captain Marvel. The franchise's first solo female-led film, Captain Marvel looks to introduce audiences to Brie Larson's Carol Danvers before she plays an integral role in April's Avengers: Endgame and becomes a leading figure in the MCU moving forward.

The latest Marvel movie is arriving at just the right time for the box office. Grosses through the first two months this year have been down, with even an acclaimed family film like The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part underwhelming commercially. This February even saw the worst Super Bowl weekend in two decades. Fortunately for theater owners, that tune is about to change very quickly thanks to Captain Marvel and the Starforce.

Related: Screen Rant's Captain Marvel Interview With Brie Larson

According to Deadline, Captain Marvel is projected to bring in around $150 million during its first three days domestically, which would top Guardians of the Galaxy 2 ($146.5 million) for the seventh-largest opening weekend in MCU history. Globally, the film is expected to gross close to $350 million for its debut.

Brie Larson as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel

There are a couple of key reasons for this development. As alluded to above, a number of 2019 films so far frankly haven't made much of an impression at the box office. Even movies that ended up profitable, like M. Night Shyamalan's Glass, didn't earn as much as anticipated during their runs. Captain Marvel is coming out at a time where competition is weak and there's an obvious appetite for a new tentpole film. This is the most high-profile release since Aquaman last December, and people are so excited, many of them are pre-ordering their tickets so they don't miss out. Additionally, Captain Marvel is yet another MCU installment to receive widely positive reviews. There are those who feel it tends to rehash certain elements of the established Marvel movie formula, but the overall consensus is that it's an entertaining ride worth taking. Marvel movies are critic-proof at this point, but good word-of-mouth won't hurt.

It'll be interesting to see how much Captain Marvel ultimately makes in its first frame. Box office projections for this one have fluctuated wildly over the past few months. Initial estimates suggested something in the range of $160 million, but more recent ones indicated a modest $100 million. Odds are Captain Marvel ends up closer to the higher end of the spectrum, particularly because people seem to be enjoying it and this is the last piece of the MCU puzzle before Endgame comes out. For many reasons, this is a can't-miss movie in the early part of 2019, and it'll give the multiplex a much-needed shot in the arm.

More: Read Screen Rant's Captain Marvel Review

Source: Deadline

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