Doctor Strange Opens at No. 1 in Japan

CBR

By Kevin Melrose

Published Jan 29, 2017

The Marvel film brings its worldwide total to $664 million with its deubt in Japan.

"Doctor Strange" led the Japanese box office, earning $4.5 million in its first weekend of release.

The debut on Friday marks the final territory for the Marvel Studios release, which kicked off its global run on Oct. 13 in Hong Kong. The Scott Derrickson has grossed $433 million internationally and $664 million worldwide.

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, “Doctor Strange” follows the story of world-renowned surgeon Stephen Strange, whose life changes following a career-ending car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he searches for healing, and hope, in a mysterious enclave. He soon learns the people there are at the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces determined to destroy reality.

Produced for an estimated $165 million, "Doctor Strange" has already passed the worldwide lifetime totals of fellow Marvel Studios films “The Incredible Hulk” ($263 million), “Captain America: The First Avenger” ($371 million), “Thor” ($449 million), “Ant-Man” ($520 million), “Iron Man” ($585 million) and "Iron Man 2" ($623.9 million).

Despite that performance, Marvel has yet to announce plans for a sequel -- although Derrickson is eager for a second shot at the Master of the Mystic Arts. "I hope to do a sequel for it, because I think that character I love and understand," he told CBR last week. "The magical, mystical nature of his multiverse is also something that I understand have ideas how to expand.

That said, Cumberbatch's Sorcerer Supreme has plenty to keep him busy: He'll appear later this year in "Thor: Ragnarok," and then play a role in 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War."

Debuting digitally Feb. 14 ahead of its Feb. 28 release on Blu-ray and DVD, "Doctor Strange" also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton.

(via Exhibitor Relations, ComicBook.com)