Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is off to a stellar start at the box office with an $118.4 million first weekend, officially opening the summer box office race.
James Gunn’s Marvel swansong was launched into the stratosphere on Thursday and Friday with $48.2 million and continued to rake in cash at an impressive rate the rest of the weekend frame.
While many naysayers are waiting for “super hero fatigue” to set it, Guardians 3 not only did well with ticket buyers, but also with critics and those polled exiting the theater. The film currently sits at 81% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics (and a 95% Audience Score) and also received an A grade from Cinemascore.
Unlike February’s Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania, Guardians Vol 3 appears to have the right mix of critical acclaim and fan buzz to perform at the top of the charts for weeks to come.
Some critics have pointed out that the film may scare young children with the High Evolutionary’s Dr. Moreau-style animal experiments and rage provided by Chukwudi Iwuji, so the warnings may remove some potential family business from the mix in coming weeks.
Come back next weekend to see if Guardians maintains its strong start at the box office.