Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings smashes both Labor Day records and expectations in its opening weekend, scoring an impressive $71 million over 3 days. The 2021 box office recovery has been very touch and go, with promising signs giving way to more cautious estimates amid the Delta surge. With streaming still being a go-to spot for studios to send their movies and major films like Top Gun: Maverick adjusting release plans, every week seems to see the industry holding its breath when it comes to box office results. With movies like Free Guy and Candyman besting estimates in recent weeks, though, it finally feels like things are moving in a good direction once more.

Going into this weekend, there was much interest in how Shang-Chi would perform. In normal times, a Marvel movie would bring with it high expectations, but experts have been more cautious. Unlike previous MCU debut Black Widow, Shang-Chi opened exclusively in theaters without the backing of Disney+ Premier Access. The earliest box office projections for Shang-Chi had the movie scoring one of the lowest MCU debuts, stuck in the range of $35-$55 million.

Related: Shang-Chi Ending Explained: 6 Biggest Questions, Answered

Now the weekend numbers are rolling in, and Shang-Chi has emerged triumphant. Per Deadline, the Simu Li-starring Marvel movie has scored $71.4 million in its first weekend, making it the second-best opening weekend of the entire pandemic. Black Widow still holds the record with its $80.3 million July opening. With this weekend featuring Labor Day on Monday, Shang-Chi's 4-day estimate is $89.2 million, though Disney is projecting $83.5 million. The MCU pic has officially scored the biggest Labor Day opening, squashing previous record-holder Halloween's $30.6 million total in 2007.

Shang-Chi ready to fight at the bus in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings.

What's especially notable about this news is that the entire weekend box office is estimated to clock in at $135.2 million, which is 12% higher than this same weekend in 2019. This is far from a complete turnaround for the box office, but it does show that there's life to be found in movie theaters. Shang-Chi's opening weekend has come ahead of 4 other MCU origin stories: The Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Thor.

Shang-Chi was likely aided by its exclusive theatrical run, though it surely would've made Disney plenty of money on streaming as well. The allure of a Marvel title still can't be beat, and Shang-Chi was also blessed by glowing reviews. With positive word of mouth already spreading, expect it to add some healthy sums to its growing total, provided it doesn't drop heavily in its second weekend like Black Widow did. As the MCU's first Asian-led movie, Shang-Chi's results are a sign of the positive effects of representation, as well as the continued strength of the Marvel brand. The movie still has a ways to go to make a profit, but this is an encouraging start.

More: How Much Shang-Chi Cost To Make (& How Much BO To Be A Success)

Source: Deadline

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