Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the emotionally charged finale to writer-director James Gunn‘s intensely personal Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy of superhero films, may have underperformed in its opening weekend at the box office, but the movie just quietly achieved a significant commercial milestone. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is very close to the $350 million milestone in less than a week in theaters all across the world.
For a total worldwide revenue of $344 million, the movie has earned $138 million domestically and another $205 million from other markets. The hefty $250 million stated production budget for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 resulted in a domestic opening weekend box office haul of $118 million. Although it was in line with revised forecasts, this was rather disappointing. However, Disney and Marvel Studios would have preferred for it to have at least equaled, if not exceeded, the second movie’s $146 million opening weekend in 2017.
Nevertheless, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 performed far better than the original Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which brought in $94 million during its first domestic weekend. But it was in 2014, almost ten years ago. Both the moviegoing environment and moviegoers’ appreciation of these characters have significantly evolved over the past several years. When they were initially introduced, the Guardians were viewed as somewhat of a niche product within the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they have since cemented their place in the hearts of fans all over the place.
Rocket Raccoon was the main focus of the advertising materials for Guardians of the Galaxy 3, which was positioned as the third and concluding installment of the trilogy. Sean Gunn, who motion captured his on-set performance of Rocket, who was voiced by Bradley Cooper, has been teasing Rocket’s difficult history all along. The Guardians of the Galaxy films, known for their distinctive comedy and touching storyline, chronicle the exploits of a band of outcasts led by Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill. Both of the preceding films were incredibly well-received and successful at the box office.
Comparatively, the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie brought in $333 million domestically and $770 million internationally, while the second movie brought in $398 million domestically and $863 million internationally. But there’s no denying that Marvel as a franchise has been struggling lately. With among of the worst reviews in the franchise’s history, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the studio’s final theatrical release, flopped with less than $500 million globally.
