Despite Shill Media’s Praises, Shang-Chi Has 3rd Worst Opening Weekend In Marvel Cinematic Universe History

(L-R): Katy (Awkwafina) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios' SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

While the shill media is praising Disney and Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for breaking Labor Day box office records, the truth is that the film had one of the worst opening weekends in the entire history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The-Numbers reports the film earned $75.5 million in its opening domestic weekend. That includes box office totals from September 2nd to September 5th. If you include Labor Day, the film grossed a total of $90 million.

Internationally the film earned a total of $56.2 million for a global gross of $146.2 million.

Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Looking at just the film’s opening domestic weekend and excluding Labor Day, it is the fifth worst opening weekend in the Marvel Cinematic Universe history based on gross totals. The only films it bests are Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Ant-Man, and The Incredible Hulk.

Thor had an opening weekend of $65.7 million back in 2011. Captain America: The First Avenger brought in $65 million in 2011 as well. Ant-Man grossed $57.2 million in 2015 and The Incredible Hulk earned $55.4 million in 2008.

While Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings beat all of those films in total gross, if you factor in inflation it only beats out The Incredible Hulk and Ant-Man. That means Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has the third worst opening weekend in the entire history of the MCU.

(L-R): Katy (Awkwafina), Jon Jon (Ronny Chieng) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Even if you include Labor Day and bring the film’s opening to $90 million, it only passes four other films: Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and Thor: The Dark World. It becomes the 9th worst grossing MCU film.

However, if you factor in inflation it only beats out Black Widow and Ant-Man and the Wasp along with The Incredible Hulk, Ant-Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. That makes it good for the 7th worst MCU film.

Xialing (Meng’er Zhang) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Related: Disney And Marvel Studios Tout Black Widow Success, Reveal $60 Million Disney+ Haul

Not only does it have the third worst opening weekend in the entire history of the MCU, but the film was only available to view in theaters and it was still bested by Black Widow, which had an opening weekend of $80.3 million.

According to Disney, not only did Black Widow earn $80.3 million at the box office in its opening weekend, but it also earned an additional $60 million from its Premier Access on Disney+.

Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Related: Shang-Chi Expected To Have Worst Opening Weekend Ever For The Marvel Cinematic Universe

While Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings did have one of the worst opening weekends in MCU history, it did beat industry estimates. 

Box Office Pro predicted the film would have an opening weekend between $35 million and $55 million. 

The-Numbers’ box office prediction model originally predicted the film would earn $66 million. However, once the Thursday preview numbers came in at $8.8 million their model adjusted upward and predicted the film would earn $72.3 million.

(L-R): Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

As for the shill media outlets like The Hollywood Reporter and Variety running headlines like Marvel’s Shang-Chi Crushes Labor Day Weekend Records With $90 Million, it’s because film studios don’t typically release big budget films like Shang-Chi on Labor Day weekend.

The previous largest haul on Labor Day weekend was The Sixth Sense, which earned $29.2 million back in 1999. However, that film wasn’t released on Labor Day weekend. It was released a month earlier on August 6, 1999. Labor Day in 1999 was September 6th. So, the film had been in theaters a month already!

Shang-Chi is so impressive that it broke a record set by a film that had already been in theaters for over a month. 

(L-R): Xialing (Meng’er Zhang), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

What do you make of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ring’s box office haul?

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