“Black Widow” Delay Raises Box-Office Potential

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While some fans have been frustrated by the most recent delay of Marvel Studios’ “Black Widow,” the move from May 28th to July 9th is expected to have a big impact on the film’s box-office projections.

The Observer and The Numbers report that had the film stuck to its original late May date, it was projected to take only a $45 million domestic gross in total. With the shift to July 9th, it’s now tracking to earn around $170 million at the North American box office including a $63 million opening weekend.

Those projected earnings also don’t include any potential revenue from the Premier Access pricing from the Disney+ streaming service – extra revenue the studio keeps 100% of. It’s also taking into account only 55% of U.S. movie theaters are currently open and all are operating at reduced capacity.

Exhibitor Relations’ Senior Box Office Analyst Jeff Block says: “As far as Marvel goes and other films that have pushed further back into summer, that can only help their cause at this point.”