It was already expected that Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania would have a terrible second-weekend drop after its Thursday at the box office, but it could set a record for the MCU.
Initial projections for Quantumania were certainly the highest for the Ant-Man franchise, but it only met the low end of those expectations. It didn't help that the film had many problems working against it upon release.
So, it's no wonder that the audience reception of the film was the lowest for the MCU since Eternals.
Unfortunately, the Ant-Man threequel is currently projected to be the new record holder for the biggest weekend drop in the MCU.
Historic Drop for Ant-Man Sequel
According to Luiz Fernando, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is projected to gross $32.2 million on its 2nd 3-day weekend in the United States, meaning it would be a -69.7% drop from its opening weekend of $106.1 million.
If the projection holds, which is likely, it would make it the biggest second-weekend drop ever for any MCU movie while also making it the biggest second-weekend drop for any superhero movie with a +$100M budget:
- Black Widow - 67.8%
- Thor: Love and Thunder - 67.7%
- Spider-Man: No Way Home - 67.5%
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 67%
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 62.8%
- Eternals - 62.3%
- Spider-Man: Homecoming - $62.2%
- Ant-Man and the Wasp - 61.6%
- Captain America: The First Avenger - 60.7%
- The Incredible Hulk - 60.1%
- Avengers: Age of Ultron - 59.4%
Additionally, while Quantumania crossed $300 million globally, it is projected to end its global run between $470-540 million, which means it is on track to make less than Ant-Man and the Wasp, which finished at $622.6 million.
Is the MCU in Trouble?
No, the disappointing box office for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania isn't some terrible omen for the studio or franchise. However, Disney will certainly want to take away some lessons from this critical and box office disappointment.
One of the biggest criticisms against the film was the VFX, which was reportedly caused by prioritizing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. So, hopefully, with the delay in releases, this issue won't happen again.
Remember that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the next MCU film after Quantumania. It will likely be a far greater success at the box office, especially with how its trailers have been received.
Fans can see the next installment of the MCU, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, on May 5.
