Marvel Studios' "Captain America: Brave New World" has stumbled at the box office since its Valentine's Day release, underscoring the studio's creative stagnation.
The Hollywood blockbuster is the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, featuring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson, who has taken on the mantle of Captain America. The sequel delves into political intrigue, with President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) seeking to rectify past mistakes while contending with a potential assassination attempt.
Critically, the film has received a lukewarm reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 49 percent approval rating based on 300 critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.5/10. The consensus notes that while Mackie capably steps into the role of Captain America, the film is "too routine and overstuffed with uninteresting easter eggs to feel like a worthy standalone adventure for this new Avengers leader." Meanwhile, IGN said the movie "feels neither brave, nor all that new."
Though reviews are not universally negative – The New York Times describes the film as "a decent political thriller with something culturally resonant to say that exceeds mere comic-book particulars" – the film's underwhelming box office performance highlights Marvel's recent struggles with audience engagement.
The movie has been struggling to make an impact commercially. Despite a strong showing in its opening weekend, it experienced a significant 68 percent drop in its second weekend, earning $28.2 million domestically, bringing its total to $141 million. Globally, "Brave New World" has swiftly grossed over $289.4 million, with expectations that it will safely surpass the $425 million worldwide break-even point. But some point out that the scarcity of big-budget offerings arriving in theaters in the coming weeks might be a contributing factor.
"Brave New World" is entering the global market at a time when the Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" is achieving unprecedented success. Last week, "Ne Zha 2" took the No. 1 spot as the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. With limited releases in overseas markets, it has now earned 13.7 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) globally and is continuing to break records on the all-time global box office chart.
