“Captain America: Brave New World” made a powerful impact at the North American box office, raking in $88.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, as per studio estimates on Sunday. The release by Walt Disney Co. stands out as the top opener of 2025, with projections to surpass $100 million domestically and $192.4 million globally by the end of the Presidents’ Day holiday on Monday.
This movie marks Marvel’s return to the big screen since the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine” last summer, reigniting enthusiasm among fans. Playing in 4,105 locations in the U.S. and Canada, “Brave New World” marks a significant shift for the “Captain America” franchise by introducing Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the new Cap, succeeding Chris Evans in the iconic role. The film also features Harrison Ford as the U.S. President who transforms into the Red Hulk.
Despite facing some criticism, with a current 51% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, “Brave New World” managed to attract audiences with an 80% verified audience score and a B- CinemaScore. Men comprised 63% of the opening weekend audience.
In comparison to other MCU films, “Brave New World” falls between “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Thor: The Dark World” in terms of box office performance. With a production budget of $180 million, the film is considered more cost-effective compared to other Marvel blockbusters.
Following a single Marvel release in 2024, “Brave New World” is the first of three major theatrical releases scheduled for 2025. The film is set to be followed by “Thunderbolts” in May and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” in July.
Meanwhile, “Paddington in Peru” claimed second place at the box office, earning an estimated $13 million in its North American debut. The third installment in the beloved franchise has already amassed $104 million internationally since its release in the United Kingdom in November 2024.
In third place was Sony and Screen Gems’ horror film “Heart Eyes,” which saw a 20% increase in ticket sales from its opening weekend. “Dog Man” secured fourth place with $9 million in earnings.
The superhero genre continues to captivate audiences, as evidenced by the success of “Brave New World” and other recent releases, demonstrating a sustained interest in larger-than-life characters on the silver screen.
Seven million dollars was the impressive box office earnings for the Chinese blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” which secured a spot in the top five. Premiering on 660 screens in North America, the film raked in $7.2 million. The overall box office saw a notable 20% increase when compared to the previous year.
This weekend marked the debut of the latest installment in the “Bridget Jones” franchise, titled “Mad About the Boy.” Interestingly, the film opted to skip traditional theater release in the U.S., and instead went directly to Universal’s streaming platform, Peacock. Across the pond in the U.K. and Ireland, “Mad About the Boy” pulled in an impressive estimated $14.9 million, surpassing the earnings of “Captain America: Brave New World.” Universal Pictures International reported a substantial $32.3 million in total earnings from all 70 territories.
Final numbers for domestic box office earnings are scheduled to be unveiled on Tuesday. According to Comscore, estimated ticket sales within the U.S. and Canada from Friday through Sunday are as follows: “Captain America: Brave New World” led the pack with $88.5 million, followed by “Paddington in Peru” at $13 million, “Heart Eyes” at $10 million, “Dog Man” at $9.7 million, “Ne Zha 2” at $7.2 million, “Love Hurts” at $4.4 million, “Mufasa: The Lion King” at $4.2 million, “One of Them Days” at $3 million, “Companion” at $1.9 million, and “Becoming Led Zeppelin” at $1.8 million.
