Shang-Chi Remains #1 At Box Office, Now 3rd Worst Grossing MCU Film

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 16: (L-R) Benedict Wong and Simu Liu attend the "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" World Premiere at El Capitan Theatre on August 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)

Marvel Studios’ latest release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings remained on top of the box office this past weekend.

According to The-Numbers, the film grossed $21.7 million at domestic theaters. That’s a 37% decline from the previous weekend. The film’s total domestic gross now sits at $176.8 million. The film’s global gross now sits at $288.8 million.

Shang-Chi didn’t really have any competition at the domestic box office as it beat Free Guy, Cry Macho, Candyman, and Malignant.

Free Guy raked in $5.2 million. Cry Macho earned $4.4 million. Candyman grossed $3.5 million and Malignant earned $2.7 million.

The entire weekend only brought in $47.1 million. It was the worst weekend since the middle of June where grosses topped $45.6 million.

(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.

With Shang-Chi’s $21.7 million haul bringing it to a total domestic total gross of $176.8 million. The movie now sits as the third worst grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe film of all time.

The only two films it currently beats are The Incredible Hulk, which grossed $134.8 million back in 2008 and Captain America: The First Avenger which grossed $176.6 million in 2011.

However, if you factor in inflation, Shang-Chi only tops The Incredible Hulk. Captain America: The First Avenger’s domestic gross adjusted for inflation is $214.8 million.

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

While Shang-Chi is the third worst Marvel Cinematic Universe film to date, it will more than likely surpass Ant-Man, Thor, and Black Widow.

Those films have total domestic grosses of $180.2, $181, and $183.3 million. Black Widow is still in theaters, but it only brought in $181,000 this past weekend.

Source: The-Numbers

Based on the film’s current trajectory it should also surpass Thor: The Dark World and Ant-Man and the Wasp. However, it does not look like it will be able to best Doctor Strange.

While the film is having solid box office takes during the weekend, it has seen significant drop offs during the week.

Looking at the chart below, you can see that Shang-Chi bested Black Widow, Doctor Strange, Thor: The Dark World, and Ant-Man and the Wasp in its third weekend. However, it had lower grosses than Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Widow, and Doctor Strange during the week.

Source: The-Numbers

It looks like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will gross over $200 million at the domestic box office and could come in around $220 million if it maintains its current trajectory.

That should be enough for the film to barely break even. A rough estimate to determine a film’s profitability is to multiple the film’s production budget by 2.5. 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has an estimated production budget of $150 million. That means it would need to earn $375 million to break even. If the film earns $220 million at the domestic box office, it would also need to earn another $43 million at the global box office to hit that mark.

(Center): Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

What do you make of Shang-Chi’s box office? Do you think it will hit that $375 million mark to break even?

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