The movie may be almost two months old here in the states, and possibly gone from most theaters, but ANT-MAN AND THE WASP is just getting started in China – and what a big start it was. The movie premiered in the Middle Kingdom this weekend to a fantastic $68 million, making it the fourth-largest Marvel debut in the region, as well as the third-largest debut of 2018 for an international release. In short, these insects are making big bucks.
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The impressive debut in the second-largest movie market in the world brings the international total of the sequel starring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly to $332 million, which along with it’s $211 million domestic tally brings the movie’s current cume to $544 million. That means the movie has surpassed the $519 million total of the first ANT-MAN, and given it’s only just begun it’s run in China, the movie could have little trouble passing $600 million worldwide.
These are small numbers compared to the $1.3 billion and $2 billion totals of BLACK PANTHER and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, but it’s not a total to scoff at by any means. In fact, should A&W make it to $600 million, that means the three movies combined will top out at around $4 billion around the world. That is an absurd amount of money, and no doubt makes for Marvel’s best year at the box office yet.
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The bubbly is certainly popping over at Marvel Studios as this release in China marks signals the end of their very long and successful year, releasing three huge movies in the span of about six months, each meeting, if not wildly passing all expectations. This franchise is now 20 movies in and there is no slowing the train down, and as long as audiences have money to spend they will spend it on anything with the Marvel Studios logo.