Hollywood Marvel Studios’ latest release, Deadpool & Wolverine, has surged to the top of the Nigerian box office, grossing an impressive N299 million in just under two weeks.
The film, the third installment in the Deadpool series, continues to capitalize on the popularity of its titular characters, touting its status as a global film event.
Distributed by Filmoneng, the film has shown profitability in the Nigerian box office market despite a challenging environment.
With a production budget of $200 million, Deadpool & Wolverine has so far earned N299 million locally, a major increase from the N165 million reported just a week prior. According to data compiled by TheWitness, the movie achieved a three-day weekend opening of N144.1 million, covering the period from July 26 to July 28, 2024.
The film’s opening day in Nigerian cinemas brought in N41.6 million, followed by an additional N51.6 million on Saturday, which pushed the total to N93.2 million by the end of the day. Initially, industry projections estimated the film would accumulate around N115 million by the end of its opening weekend. However, Deadpool & Wolverine exceeded expectations, reaching N144.1 million, setting a new benchmark for future releases.
The film’s box office performance, however, faced a potential setback due to nationwide protests that began on August 1. The demonstrations, which were part of the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest, led to temporary closures of several cinemas, including Imperial Cinemas, which announced its suspension of operations with the statement:
“Please be informed that the cinema will not be operational tomorrow(Aug 1) due to the upcoming nationwide protest. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this might have caused. We shall communicate with you when it is safe to reopen.”
Despite these disruptions, Deadpool & Wolverine managed to gross N13 million on Friday, August 2, 2024, though this represented a steep 69% drop from the previous Friday’s earnings. The broader implications of the protests on the film’s overall box office trajectory remain to be seen, but the resilience of its earnings speaks to its strong fan base and market appeal.
Globally, Deadpool & Wolverineis on track to become a significant financial success for Marvel Studios. As of today, the film has grossed approximately $850 million worldwide and is projected to reach the $1 billion mark by the end of its third weekend. The film’s steady climb at the global box office is a testament to its widespread appeal and the enduring popularity of the Deadpool franchise.
Directed by Shawn Levy, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells, the film is produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment. It is the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and a sequel to Deadpool* (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018).
The movie stars Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, along with a supporting cast that includes Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, and Matthew Macfadyen.
Deadpool & Wolverine not only integrates Deadpool into the MCU but also retains the R-rating of its predecessors, marking a unique entry in the franchise. The film also features Wesley Snipes, who reprises his role as Blade in a cameo appearance, earning him a Guinness World Record for the longest career as a live-action Marvel character. This notable return comes nearly 26 years after Snipes first portrayed the half-vampire daywalker in the 1998 film Blade.
