Captain America's Global Dominance: $300 Million and Climbing

Captain America: Brave New World's box office performance is proving challenging. While it's nearing $300 million globally, a significant 68% drop in domestic revenue during its second weekend raises concerns about its profitability.

According to Deadline, the film's $180 million production budget necessitates a global gross of approximately $425 million to break even. Despite a strong opening weekend exceeding expectations with a $100 million domestic haul, the second weekend's $28.2 million take mirrors the steep decline seen in 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 worldwide ($141.2 million domestically and $148.2 million internationally), adding $63.5 million in its second weekend. While currently the biggest theatrical release of 2025, the substantial second-weekend drop is concerning. Paul Dergarabedian, a senior Comscore analyst, commented to Variety that this significant decline reflects less audience enthusiasm than typically expected from Marvel films, suggesting a "new normal" for the franchise. Deadline projects a final global gross of around $450 million.

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

Marvel Studios and Disney are hoping for a substantial box office rebound to counteract the recent underperformance of MCU films (excluding the highly successful Deadpool & Wolverine). The success of Captain America: Brave New World is crucial for building momentum leading into Thunderbolts in May and The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.