Marvell’s $1.2 billion feature Black Panther has reigned for five weeks at the US box office. It could be the last week as “Pacific Rim Uprising” looks as if it is threatening to take the top spot.
Pacific Rim Uprising is a sequel to Guillermo del Torro’s Pacific Rim in 2013. It is predicted that the movie will earn between $22 and $29 million at this weekend’s American box office. This is nowhere near Black Panther‘s $292 million, which was the highest first week grossing of any Marvell movie. Still, it should be enough to replace Black Panther for the top spot this week.
Pacific Rim Uprising had a budget of $150 million compared with Black Panther’s $200 million. The feature was co-written and directed by Steven S. DeKnight who is best known for his previous work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its successful spin-off Angel.
The original in 2013 opened with $37 million and went on to gross $411 million worldwide. It made $112 million in China, which beat the US $101.8 million. The popularity of del Torro’s Pacific Rim and the global scale gives us good reason to think that the new movie will follow in the original’s footsteps and take lead at the box office. That being said, Black Panther has had an overwhelming response so far and it wouldn’t be entirely surprising, though an impressive rarity if its reign continues.
