Even as more and more movie theaters re-open their doors, box office numbers still aren't quite what they were prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, things are certainly looking up. In fact, data suggests that when Marvel Studios' upcoming film Black Widow releases on July 9, it could earn nearly four times as much money as it would have had it opened on May 7 as previously planned.
The Numbers, a film industry data website that tracks box office revenue, says that Black Widow was expected to earn about $45 million if it had hit theaters in May. According to The Numbers' latest projection, the Scarlett Johansson-led superhero film is now tracking for a box office haul of roughly $170 million -- about 3.77 times more. In other words, the delay to July seems to be paying off.
The first feature film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow was originally slated to hit theaters on May 1, 2020. As a result of the pandemic, the film was delayed to Nov. 6, 2020, and then again to May 7 of this year. Back in March, Marvel announced that Black Widow's theatrical release had be delayed one last time to July 9, and that it would also be the first MCU film to premiere on Disney+ with Premier Access -- a move that has reportedly perturbed some theater chains.
In spite of Black Widow's multiple delays, Phase Four of the MCU is already underway thanks to Marvel Studios' new slate of Disney+ original series. WandaVision ran from Jan. 15 to March 5 of this year. Meanwhile, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier premiered on March 19 and is scheduled to conclude on April 23. Loki will follow suit with a Disney+ premiere date of June 11.
Moreover, July's Black Widow is one of four MCU films slated to release in 2021. Phase Four continues with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Sept. 3 and Eternals on Nov. 5 -- though it is currently unclear if either film will follow in Black Widow's footsteps as a Premier Access title. Finally, Marvel and Sony's Spider-Man: No Way Home is slated for release on Dec. 17.
Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, O-T Fagbenle as Mason and Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff. The film arrives in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access July 9.
Source: The Numbers