‘Black Widow’ is a big hit in theaters and on Disney +

“Black Widow,” the latest blockbuster film from Disney Marvel Studios, grossed around $ 80 million when it opened in North America this weekend. It was pretty much what the industry expected and it was also a record for the era of the pandemic.

The film, which stars Scarlett Johansson as a vengeful super-spy, staged the biggest nationwide opening weekend since 2019. However, the film was also a huge hit on Disney +.

Overall, including streaming and theatrical screenings, the film grossed more than $ 215 million worldwide this weekend, according to Disney (Dis).

Kareem Daniel, president of media distribution and entertainment at Disney, praised the film in a statement on Sunday.

“Black Widow’s strong performance this weekend confirms our flexible distribution strategy of making franchise films available in theaters for a true cinematic experience and, as Covid concerns continue around the world, to offer a choice for consumers who prefer to watch at home on Disney +, ”Daniel said Sunday. .

Reporting that a Marvel film has done well at the box office comes as no big surprise as the studio is Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster, grossing over $ 22 billion worldwide since 2008.

But this weekend’s totals for “Black Widow” are notable due to the dueling release.

As Hollywood experiments with how to launch its first films, this weekend was a big step as “Black Widow” was arguably the most high profile film to be streamed to date.

While there are probably a few caveats, “Black Widow” seems to have had a solid weekend at the box office, even though it was available at home. As streaming becomes Hollywood’s focal point, this weekend was a good sign for the argument that theaters and streaming can coexist.

The $ 80 million nationwide opening as well as the $ 78 million the film made overseas is good news for theaters, which need as much success as they can get right now. .

The industry is trying to bounce back from a pandemic that has ravaged businesses, and momentum is important to create a buzz that brings the public back to their seats. Large openings like “Black Widow” help towards this end.

“Black Widow” is just the latest film to report solid box office returns, following the successful launches of “A Quiet Place, Part II” in May and “F9” in June.

And the good times could continue to hit theaters over the next several weeks with potential blockbuster films on the schedule.

There’s “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” a sequel to the beloved basketball movie starring LeBron James and the Looney Tunes, next weekend. After that, there’s “Old,” a new horror film from M. Night Shyamalan, and “Jungle Cruise” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt to close the month.