Maybe the universe is getting back on an even keel. Movie theaters are starting to reopen–albeit slowly–and Marvel, Disney and 20th Century Studios are once again on the top of the box office heap.
Marvel’s newest (and most-delayed and most-anticipated) release–The New Mutants–finally hit theaters this past weekend and immediately soared to No. 1 at the domestic box office, according to Deadline.
This foray into horror for Marvel–while retaining a super-heroic theme–resulted in a $7-million bonanza for the three-day period, the biggest theatrical debut so far since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered movie houses back in March.
The weekend haul for The New Mutants would have been significantly larger if all 6,000 movie theaters in America had been open–estimates had from 60 percent to 70 percent of the theaters were open last weekend. One analyst reportedly estimated the film would have grossed approximately $14 million if all locations were operating.
All in all, definitely a positive sign for the film–which is based on an X–Men comic book spinoff with characters created by Chris Claremont and Bob Wiacek–that has suffered through numerous delays since its initial planned release way back in April 2018.
The strong debut also shows the devotion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with fans braving reopened theaters despite the movie’s lukewarm reviews that ranged from “middling” to “so-so”.
The New Mutants–directed by Josh Boone with a screenplay from Boone and Knate Lee–stars Maisie Williams, Anya-Taylor Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga as a group of young mutants held in a secret facility to undergo treatments they are told will cure them of the dangers of their powers. But, instead, they find they are forced to fight to save themselves.
Keep reading Horror News Network for updates on the success of The New Mutants and all other horror releases to come this year.
