The highly anticipated Marvel blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” has made an impressive debut at Nigerian cinemas, grossing N41.6 million in ticket sales on its opening day, Friday, July 26, 2024.
This figure, reported by the Nigerian Box Office, does not include preview screenings from Wednesday and Thursday.
With this strong start, the film is on track to surpass N130 million in ticket sales over its three-day opening weekend. “Deadpool & Wolverine” features a substantial production budget of $200 million and an additional $100 million for marketing, positioning it alongside top-grossing entries in the Multiverse Saga such as “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.”
The Nigerian premiere took place on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Filmhouse Cinema IMAX Lekki in Lagos, showcasing a star-studded red carpet event with celebrities including Omotunde Adebowale-David (Lolo), Denrele Edun, Emmanuel Ikubese, Oluwadollarz, Abayomi Alvin, Elozonam, Tomiwa Tegbe, and Uti Nwachukwu.
Globally, “Deadpool & Wolverine” earned an impressive $96 million on its opening day, making it the sixth-highest debut in history and the top opening day haul for an R-rated film. With an additional $115 million from overseas markets, the film’s cumulative global earnings have reached $211 million.
The strong global performance indicates that “Deadpool & Wolverine” has not only recouped its $200 million production budget but is also well-positioned to exceed $400 million by Sunday. This success underscores the film’s widespread appeal and the strong performances by lead actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
The first “Deadpool” film had a budget of $58 million and opened with $132 million in its domestic debut, ultimately grossing over $780 million worldwide. “Deadpool 2” (2018) followed with a $125 million domestic debut and over $786 million globally, highlighting Ryan Reynolds’ ascent to leading movie star status.
Hugh Jackman, known for his iconic portrayal of Wolverine, had previously retired the character after 2017’s “Logan,” which earned over $600 million worldwide. The opportunity to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe for this new film drew him back, much to the excitement of fans around the world.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is set to become one of the year’s biggest hits, combining humor, action, and star power in a way that continues the legacy of its beloved characters while paving the way for future Marvel adventures.
