Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 continued its reign at the domestic box office this past weekend. James Gunn’s Marvel swan song is exactly what the MCU needed to restore faith in the hearts of its passionate fanbase. However, now it looks like this Rocket Raccoon-centric trilogy capper has done even better than expected in its second weekend. Vol. 3 has made $62.6 million domestically in its second weekend of release which is over $2 million more than its original $60.5 million estimate. That latter figure was already impressive given it only represented a 49% box office drop between weekends. The new number represents only a 47% drop.
This also means Vol. 3 has easily crossed the $200 million mark domestically with $216.5 million. Globally the film has crossed the $500 million mark with $530.9 million. This is thanks to markets like China where the emotional epic has already made $58.4 million. This galactic achievement also means Vol. 3 has already surpassed Marvel’s last film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania at the worldwide box office in just over one full week of release. That particular bite-size trilogy capper only made $475.8 million globally in its entire theatrical run. Vol. 3 has also joined an exclusive list of Marvel films that have dipped under a 50% drop at the box office in its second weekend. These films include Black Panther, Thor, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and The Avengers. The 47% drop is even better than the previous two Guardians films which both dropped a still respectable 55% in their second weekends.
What’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 About?
Vol. 3 sees the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock going after Rocket for the information that’s in his head. When the now famous Guardian is critically wounded, it's up to Star-Lord and the rest of the team to save their best friend before it's too late. One of the main reasons Vol. 3 works so well is it centers around Rocket and his dark past. Gunn weaves a mature tale about trauma and loss while masterfully blending it with the wacky Guardians antics fans know and love. This means there are a lot of emotionally intense scenes involving topics like animal abuse, but that's only ever there to beautifully highlight humanity's best qualities. Our capacity for love and spreading joy.
Through Rocket’s repressed darkness blooms an infectious feel-good story about growing up, friendship, and honoring the people in our lives that have guided us forward. Vol. 3’s emotional spectrum is so rich which has made the film irresistible to repeat viewings. Unlike a film like Quantumania, moviegoers are actively seeing Vol. 3 over and over again. It’s a truly moving film that will make you cry no matter how many times you see it. It's satisfying to see that reflected in its stellar box office performance.
Will Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 3 surpass Vol. 2’s Lifetime Box Office?
While it remains to be seen if Vol. 3 can pass Vol. 2’s lifetime gross of $863.7 million, there’s a good chance it can if audiences keep flocking to the theater to rewatch this gem. The great response from critics and general moviegoers alike has propelled this film to top-tier Marvel status. Hopefully, that’s a sign of brighter days ahead for the MCU. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theaters now. You can watch the trailer down below.