Box Office: 'Captain America 4' Nabs $12 Million In Thursday Previews

'Brave New World' is still on track to open like a Phase Two MCU movie, although with worse reviews, softer buzz, and less expectation of general audience interest.

Eleven years ago, the $95 million Fri-Sun debut of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, amid strong reviews and white-hot buzz, was seen as an overwhelming victory and a sign that the Marvel Cinematic Universe was more than just “Iron Man and His Amazing Avengers.” This weekend, we’ll be discussing the extent to which a likely over/under $95 million Fri-Mon President’s Day debut for Captain America: Brave New World is good enough. It’s not just a question of inflation (Winter Soldier’s debut would be around $125 million in adjusted earnings) or even budgets (Disney claims $180 million, on par with the $170 million spent on Winter Soldier). It’s the extent to which this opening will be the start of a leggy run or the fan-driven stampede before general-audience decline.