Captain America: Brave New World is looking presidential after all as Marvel Studios attempts to reboot the franchise with an entirely new cast
The year’s first tentpole is reporting a four-day domestic opening of $100 million over the long Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day weekend, including $88.4 million for the three days. That’s ahead of expectations.
Globally, it’s starting off with $192.4 million after launching to $92.4 million internationally.
The movie scored one of the top domestic openings for the holiday and the biggest opening of 2025 to date. That’s no small feat considering that many critics dissed the movie. Nor were some moviegoers impressed — Brave New World received a B- CinemaScore from audiences, the worst grade given to any title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Not all viewers feel the same, of course. Brave New World boasts a pleasing 79 percent audience ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.
It’s back to the basics when it comes to the new movie, which sees Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson take up the mantle of Captain America, the hero previously played by Chris Evans. Costing around $180 million to produce before marketing, the movie stays away from sci-fi elements and the multiverse and has been described by Marvel boss Kevin Feige as a “relatively grounded action film,” akin to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the 2014 film that starred Evans and introduced Mackie to the MCU. (Put another way, no multiverse.)
Directed by Julius Onah, Brave New World also stars Harrison Ford as newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who wants to bring Captain America aboard in an official military position. But before Wilson can make a decision, he uncovers a nefarious global plot that includes facing off with Ross when the president unexpectedly transforms into the Red Hulk. Danny Ramirez also stars, portraying Joaquin Torres/Falcon, alongside Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson and Rosa Salazar.
The movie’s performance underscores the pent-up demand for a big event pic. It also underscores the value of appealing to a ethnically diverse cast, as well as kids, who loved the film.
Presidents Day is the same weekend the first Deadpool opened, as well as Marvel’s Black Panther and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which debuted to $120 million over the holiday weekend in 2023 after earning $17.5 million in previews.
Marvel, which had to take serious stock of its strategy and future after several films faltered, culminating with The Marvels, is in a far better place now thanks to the stunning success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which became the top-grossing R-rated pic of all time after earning north of $1.3 billion globally in the summer of 2024. The studio is hoping for a solid swing with Captain America, which faced its share of challenges in getting to the big screen, but that will depend on its staying power.
Coming in at No. 2 in North America is StudioCanal’s latest installment in the beloved Paddington franchise (Columbia Pictures/Sony is distributing the threequel domestically).
Paddington in Peru is reporting an estimated four-day launch of $16 million, including north of $13 million for the three days. The critical and audience darling has already earned $104 million internationally, including $19 million from Sony-distributed markets.
The film, which cost $90 million, was developed and fully financed by StudioCanal, which is also a partner on Universal and Working Title’s Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the long-awaited fourth and final installment in the series, headlined by Renée Zellweger.
Bridget Jones went straight to Universal’s streaming service Peacock in the U.S. in a Valentine’s gift to existing subscribers and in a bid to lure to subs. It is getting a theatrical release overseas, where it opened to an impressive $35.5 million (Universal is handling the pic in most markets).
More to come.