Captain America: Brave New World Nears $300 Million Global Box Office After 68% Domestic Drop Second Weekend

Captain America: Brave New World, while boasting a global box office nearing $300 million, faces an uphill battle to profitability. A steep 68% drop in domestic revenue during its second weekend significantly jeopardizes its chances of breaking even.

According to Deadline, the film's $180 million production budget necessitates a global box office haul of approximately $425 million for profitability. The film's initial strong performance, exceeding expectations with a $100 million domestic opening weekend, has been overshadowed by a second-weekend gross of only $28.2 million domestically. This dramatic decline mirrors the performance of 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which ultimately failed to recoup its costs.

After two weekends, Captain America: Brave New World has grossed an estimated $289.4 million globally ($141.2 million domestically and $148.2 million internationally), adding $63.5 million worldwide in its second weekend (Comscore). While currently the year's biggest theatrical release, the significant second-weekend drop has raised concerns. Comscore senior analyst Paul Dergarabedian, speaking to Variety, noted that this decline reflects less audience enthusiasm than typically seen with Marvel films, suggesting a "new normal" for the franchise. Deadline projects a final global gross of around $450 million.

The film's launch coincided with largely unfavorable reviews; IGN's review awarded it a 5/10, criticizing its lack of originality and impact despite strong performances from its cast.

Marvel Studios and Disney are hoping for a substantial rebound to reverse a recent trend of underperforming MCU films (excluding last year's successful Deadpool & Wolverine), building momentum for upcoming releases: Thunderbolts in May and The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.