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Marvel Studios’ new blockbuster, Captain America: Brave New World, has topped the domestic box office, taking in around $100 million over the four-day Presidents’ Day weekend. The movie also landed a worldwide opening of $192.4 million, the highest-grossing opening of 2025 to date.
Despite its B- CinemaScore and 51% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film has managed to pull audiences, testifying to the continued strength of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). With Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, and Harrison Ford as President Thaddeus Ross (Red Hulk), the film coasted on strong promotion campaigns.
Disney invested around $22 million in advertising on big networks such as ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, riding high on high-profile events such as the Super Bowl and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Marketing tie-ins with brands such as Tide, Microsoft Copilot, and McDonald’s also boosted visibility.
37% of the box office revenue from the film was generated from premium format screenings, including IMAX and PLF, with AMC Disney Springs in Orlando ranking as the top-grossing theater in the nation.
Paddington in Peru was in second place with $16 million in its four-day weekend. The latest in the beloved franchise sees Paddington on a quest to return to Peru and has been well received, earning an A CinemaScore.
In third place was Dog Man, an animated Universal and DreamWorks film, which earned $12.5 million, pushing its total to nearly $70 million.
Sony’s Heart Eyes continued to perform well, raking in $11.1 million in its second weekend, followed by the Chinese animated sequel Ne Zha 2 in fifth position with $8.3 million.
While Brave New World performed well at the box office, its reception is a source of concern for Marvel’s future. The film’s B- CinemaScore ties it with Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, each of which had tremendous second-weekend drops. There are some who feel that Marvel has lost its way, though others remain excited about the future of Sam Wilson as Captain America.
In spite of negative criticism, Brave New World has shown that superhero fatigue is not deterring viewers from watching—at least not yet.
