Studios and theater owners are hoping for a huge Valentine’s Day-Presidents Day boost at the box office, led by the year’s first superhero tentpole, Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World.
If tracking and exhibitor predictions are right, Captain America — which should open to $90 million-plus over the long four-day weekend, one of the top showings ever for the holiday. That’s the same weekend the first Deadpool opened, as well as Marvel’s Black Panther. Likewise for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, which debuted to $120 million over Presidents Day weekend in 2023.
Overseas, Brave New World opens everywhere, including in China, Japan and South Korea. It could collect $100 million overseas.
Marvel, which had to take serious stock of its strategy and future after several films faltered, culminating with The Marvels, is in a far better place now thanks to the stunning success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which became the top-grossing R-rated pic of all time after earning north of $1.3 billion globally in the summer of 2024. The studio is hoping for a solid swing with Captain America, which faced its share of challenges in getting to the big screen.
It’s back to the basics when it comes to the new movie, which sees Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson take up the mantle of Captain America, the hero previously played by Chris Evans. It cost around $180 million to produce before than marketing, less than many other Marvel movies. Also, the movie stays away from sci-fi elements and the multiverse and has been described by Marvel boss Kevin as a “relatively grounded action film,” akin to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the 2014 film that starred Evans and introduced Mackie to the MCU. (Put another way, no multi-verse.)
Directed by Julius Onah, Brave New World also stars Harrison Ford as newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who wants to bring Captain America aboard in an official military position. But before Wilson can make a decision, he uncovers a nefarious global plot that includes facing off with Ross when the president unexpectedly transforms into the Red Hulk.
Danny Ramirez also stars, portraying Joaquin Torres/Falcon, alongside Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson and Rosa Salazar.
Captain America: Brave New World opens in the U.S. on Feb. 14 opposite Studio Canal’s latest installment in the beloved Paddington franchise (Columbia Pictures/Sony is distributing the threequel domestically) The critical darling is tracking to open in the $15 million to $17 million range domestically. Overseas, it has already earned $104.0 million internationally, including $19 million from Sony-distributed markets.
Paddington in Peru, with a pricetag of $90 million, was developed and fully-financed by StudioCanal, which is also a partner on Universal and Working Title’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the long-awaited fourth and final installment in the series, headlined by Renée Zellweger.
Bridget Jones is going straightly to Universal’s streaming service Peacock in the U.S. in a Valentine’s gift to existing subscribers and in a bid to lure to subs.
Directly by the widely respected Michael Morris, the new film sees Bridget still wrestling with grief as she tries to raise her two children four years after the death of her husband Mark Darcy, the character made famous by Colin Firth.
As Bridget pledges to live life to the fullest once more, a dashing 29-year-old named Roxster (Leo Woodall) comes along and gives her a summer of pure distraction. Elsewhere, the chemistry between science teacher Mr. Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Bridget is only getting more electric, and Zellweger’s character comes to understand that life isn’t something she can do alone. Hugh Grant returns as Daniel Cleaver, as do Emma Thompson, Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, James Callis, Celia Imrie, Gemma Jones, Jim Broadbent and Sarah Solemani.
Overseas, Bridget Jones is opening across its first 70 markets. It’s got a strong shot of beating Captain America in the U.K. and Australia.
