Black Widow‘s solo movie got a less than stellar release in 2021, but it did manage to beat out two earlier Marvel 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, with Avengers: Endgame in 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 this adversity and the hurdles Natasha Romanoff had to overcome, the movie actually managed to overtake two iconic MCU movies from 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 in Endgame, could command enough of an audience and demand to climb the ranks and overtake other iconic MCU stories that 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, the MCU took time and hard work to 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, the reality of a global pandemic which 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. And Black Widow came at an awkward moment when Disney+ tried to do a combined theatrical and digital release, which mᴀssively impacted the sales and earning potential for Black Widow.
This actually led to a legal dispute between Scarlett Johansson, the actress who plays Natasha Romanoff, and Disney for having altered the distribution terms of 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 Widow still managed to overtake two other original Avengers’ movies. First, The Incredible Hulk, which was the lowest-earning тιтle from the MCU from 2008 until 2023. And second, Captain America: The First Avenger.
To be fair, The Incredible Hulk did have a number of factors that impacted its own earning potential, such as an earlier Hulk movie that released in 2003 and felt disconnected, and drama behind the scenes with Edward Norton appearing displeased with the film overall and deciding to leave the MCU for good.
In addition, the MCU 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. But The First Avenger came 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 Widow was still able to overtake the dollar-for-dollar earnings of both these тιтles. Adjusted for inflation, it’s a slightly different story, but the merit still stands for Black Widow for how much this movie was able to accomplish in challenging circumstances.
Why Black Widow Beats These Other MCU Movie Box Offices
Black Widow Had A Number Of Advantages Over Its Predecessors
The truth is, Black Widow has been a pivotal part of the MCU since 2010, when she debuted in Iron 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 like The Avengers and beyond.
And with more than a decade of trust between this character and the audience, people wanted to learn more about the character. So, when Black Widow debuted 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 in Avengers: Endgame when 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 story had an impact that would resonate and 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 like Captain America: The First Avenger, and The 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 in Black Widow and beyond.
