Predicting a film's box office is always a gamble, but coming out of a pandemic where theaters have been (mostly) shuttered for more than a year, it only makes it that much more difficult to land on a reasonable number. Granted, a debut weekend with a preceding blockbuster (F9) helps provide a little insight into what we can expect... But then there's also the added layer of streaming options. In this case, premiere access on Disney+. So, with all of the factors in play, how did Black Widow perform?
Quite well, actually. Natasha Romanoff is known for getting things done for S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers, so why wouldn't we expect her to do the same at the box office? Domestically, the film raked in $80 million, while the international box office brought in an additional $78 million - totaling $158 million. I think it's fair to say that life is starting to return to normal.
Then there are still a number of people who aren't able to go out - or perhaps it's a family and it financially makes more sense to stay home - so you have the option of Disney+. So, after a string of what could be considered flops on Disney+ premiere access, how did Black Widow perform? Once again, quite well. Globally, Black Widow managed to score an additional $60 million in sales! And the studio gets to keep the full profits from Disney+ rather than having to split the sales on a scale with theaters.
All in all, it was a hugely successful weekend, not only for Black Widow, but the film industry in general. But $218 million... This is definitely something to get excited about! Now we just need to see what the full week looks like, and more importantly, the second-weekend performance.