The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) welcomed its 35th film, Captain America: Brave New World, on February 14, 2025, with Anthony Mackie stepping into the role of Sam Wilson, the new Captain America. Directed by Julius Onah, this fourth installment in the Captain America series has generated significant buzz, both for its bold narrative and its box office performance. This blog post dives into the film’s financial journey, exploring its global and domestic earnings, critical reception, and its place within the MCU’s evolving landscape.
A Strong Opening Weekend
Captain America: Brave New World hit theaters over the Presidents Day weekend, a strategic release that capitalized on the extended holiday. The film debuted with an impressive $88.5 million in domestic ticket sales over its three-day opening, pushing past projections of $80–94 million. By the end of the four-day holiday frame, it had amassed $100 million in the United States and Canada, marking the biggest opening weekend of 2025 at the time. Internationally, the film added $92.4 million from 52 markets, bringing its global opening to $192.4 million. Key international markets included China ($10.5 million), the UK ($8.5 million), Mexico ($6.6 million), Korea ($5.6 million), and France ($4.7 million).
This strong start positioned the film as a notable success, especially in a year with a relatively quiet box office. Compared to its predecessors, the opening surpassed Captain America: The First Avenger ($65 million in 2011) and came close to Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($95 million in 2014), though it fell short of Captain America: Civil War’s massive $179 million debut in 2016, which benefited from a star-studded Avengers ensemble.
Global and Domestic Earnings
As of May 4, 2025, Captain America: Brave New World has grossed $200.4 million domestically and $214.6 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $415 million. While this figure is substantial, the film’s journey to profitability is complicated by its reported $180 million production budget, plus significant marketing costs. Industry estimates suggest the movie needs to reach approximately $425 million globally to break even, a milestone it is nearing but has not yet crossed.
The film’s domestic performance has been a highlight, covering its production budget and making it the highest-grossing film of 2025 in the U.S. so far. It has outperformed several MCU solo films domestically, including Ant-Man ($180.2 million), Thor ($181 million), and Black Widow ($183.6 million). However, its international earnings have been less robust, particularly in China, where it earned a modest $10.6 million, reflecting challenges in penetrating the largest overseas market.
Box Office Trends and Challenges
Despite its strong debut, Captain America: Brave New World experienced a steep 68% drop in its second weekend, grossing $28.2 million domestically. This decline is among the MCU’s sharper second-weekend drops, comparable to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (70%) and The Marvels (78%). The film regained momentum in its third weekend, earning $14.9 million to remain atop the box office, but was dethroned in its fourth weekend by Mickey 17. By its sixth weekend, it added $4.1 million domestically, showing resilience despite competition.
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The film’s box office performance has been bolstered by a lack of major blockbuster competition until Disney’s Snow White remake in March 2025. Its appeal to a diverse audience—35% Caucasian, 26% Latino, 23% Black, and 10% Asian—has also contributed to its staying power, particularly as a family-friendly option. However, mixed critical reception and audience feedback have posed challenges. With a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a B- CinemaScore, the film ranks among the MCU’s lower-scored entries, potentially impacting word-of-mouth momentum.
Context Within the MCU
Captain America: Brave New World arrives at a pivotal moment for the MCU, following a string of underperforming films like The Marvels ($206 million worldwide) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ($476 million). While it has avoided the “flop” label, its $415 million global haul places it in the bottom fifth of MCU films, ahead of Eternals ($401.7 million) but below Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ($432.2 million). The film’s performance underscores ongoing concerns about superhero fatigue and the MCU’s ability to sustain its dominance post-Avengers: Endgame.
The transition from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers to Mackie’s Sam Wilson has been a focal point of discussion. While Mackie’s performance has been praised, some fans and critics have expressed fatigue with the MCU’s formulaic approach. The film’s political themes, including similarities between Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross and real-world figures, have sparked controversy, though these have not significantly dented its box office.
