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The Marvel Cinematic Universe may have been stuttering since Avengers: Endgame in the broadest of terms, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still managed to comfortably shrug off the growing apathy to make an instant splash at the box office.
On top of a domestic debut that proved to be a stronger than expected $114 million, a global opening weekend north of $280 million ensures that James Gunn’s fond farewell to the franchise has already earned more than twice as much money from theaters in the space of a few days than Shazam! Fury of the Gods did in its entire run.
However, there’s a catch. It might be a small one, but it does at least reinforce the notion that the MCU’s impenetrable armor of earning power is showing more and more cracks with each passing installment. Going as far back back to 2013 when Iron Man 3 marked the start of the Disney era – bar 2020 for obvious reasons – Marvel Studios has released a blockbuster either at the end of April or beginning of May without fail, but even when adjusted for inflation, Vol. 3‘s first frame is at the bottom of the pile.
It opened to $73 million less than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did last year, and both of the previous Guardians movies had earned more than Benedict Cumberbatch’s first solo outing. At this rate, Vol. 3 is on course to potentially crack $300 million domestically, which still has it in with a shot of being the lowest-earning late April or early May MCU film ever depending on how it holds.
It’s not exactly the end of the world, but we’re nonetheless living in a world where even the Multiverse Saga’s successes are still conspiring to set unwanted milestones.