Black Widow’s solo movie got a less than stellar release in 2021, but it did manage to beat out two earlierMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)movies from fellow original Avengers. Black Widow deserved to get a movie much earlier in the MCU timeline, but due to various circumstances, it didn’t happen until after the end of the Infinity Saga, withAvengers: Endgamein the rearview.
And, to add insult to injury, the release ended up being a combined digital and theatrical release, which meant the box office was significantly impacted. However, despite all of thisadversity and the hurdles Natasha Romanoff had to overcome, the movie actually managed toovertake two iconic MCU moviesfrom earlier in the franchise’s history.
And even factoring in things like inflation, it’s still an impressive feat to see that this character, who was killed off inEndgame, could command enough of an audience and demand toclimb the ranks and overtake other iconic MCU storiesthat set the franchise in motion.
Black Widow’s MCU Movie Has One Of The Franchise’s Lowest Box Office
Black Widow Struggled At The Box Office Compared To The Rest Of The MCU
Now, the MCU got into a rhythm of releasing hit movies that typically earned in excess of a billion dollars time and time and time again. But, theMCU took time and hard workto get to this stage. And by the time the Infinity Saga had ended, it marked an effective stopping point for fans of the franchise.
So, of course, movies that came after this time ended up earning significantly less than their contemporaries in the Infinity Saga. But even more than that, thereality of a global pandemicwhich saw the cinema industry close down for a significant portion of two years resulted in Hollywood and distributors trying to find new ways to stay relevant.
With many movies halted, delayed, moved around, and dropped onto a digital streaming release, it was the wild west for movies at that time. AndBlack Widowcame at an awkward moment when Disney+ tried to do a combined theatrical and digital release, whichmassively impacted the sales and earning potential forBlack Widow.
This actually led to a legal dispute betweenScarlett Johansson, the actress who plays Natasha Romanoff, and Disneyfor havingaltered the distribution termsof a movie that she was an executive producer on.
Black Widow’s Box Office Still Beats Two Original Avengers' Movies
Captain America: The First Avenger & The Incredible Hulk Were At The Bottom Of The MCU Pile
However, despite contentions, impacted earning potential, and an overall less impressive box office performance from the film,Black Widowstill managed to overtake two other original Avengers' movies. First,The Incredible Hulk, which was thelowest-earning title from the MCUfrom 2008 until 2023. And second,Captain America: The First Avenger.
To be fair,The Incredible Hulkdid have anumber of factors that impacted its own earning potential, such as an earlierHulkmovie that released in 2003 and felt disconnected, and drama behind the scenes withEdward Norton appearing displeased with the filmoverall and deciding to leave the MCU for good.
In addition, theMCU was still a fledgling idea at this point, and so the movie was not seen as part of a larger whole in the way that it is now, with nearly 40 movies from the MCU in total. ButThe First Avengercame out in 2011, and it was becoming clear that the potential for these shared stories was bigger than most people had anticipated.
And against all odds,Black Widowwas still able to overtake the dollar-for-dollar earningsof both these titles. Adjusted for inflation, it’s a slightly different story, but the merit still stands forBlack Widowfor how much this movie was able to accomplish in challenging circumstances.
Why Black Widow Beats These Other MCU Movie Box Offices
The truth is, Black Widow has been a pivotal part of the MCU since 2010, when she debuted inIron Man 2.Natasha Romanoff immediately made an impression, and her reputation as a worthy hero and member of the Avengers team only grew with her appearances in films likeThe Avengersand beyond.
And with more than a decade of trust between this character and the audience,people wanted to learn more about the character. So, whenBlack Widowdebuted in a solo adventure story in 2021, people purchased tickets and tuned in. Unfortunately, sales were divided with some people opting to stream the digital release, but the box office is purely from theatrical figures.
On top of that, the character met an epic and emotional end inAvengers: Endgamewhen she sacrificed herself to save her friend Clint Barton, and to ensure the return of half of all life across the universe. Nat died a hero, and she lived as a hero, so her storyhad an impact that would resonateand be felt well beyond the character’s actual death in the MCU.
Clearly, Black Widow is an iconic and important part of the MCU, and the success of her movie, overtaking other big releases likeCaptain America: The First Avenger, andThe Incredible Hulk, is a testament to how much she meant to fans of the MCU. Black Widow’s legacy lives on with her sister Yelena Belova, but Natasha Romanoff laid the foundation inBlack Widowand beyond.
