Box Office: Captain America 4 Records Franchise’s Weakest First Wednesday in US; Grosses Dismal USD 3.4 Million

Captain America: Brave New World sew an underwhelming first Wednesday in U.S. theaters, posting a weak USD 3.4 million, marking the lowest midweek gross in the franchise’s history.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Feb 21, 2025 | 10:15 AM IST | 40.8K

Picture Courtesy: Disney

Marvel Studios’ latest installment, Captain America: Brave New World, continues its box office run but has hit a concerning benchmark at the domestic box office. The film recorded a mere USD 3.4 million on Wednesday (February 19), marking the lowest Wednesday performance for any Captain America movie to date.

The drop from Tuesday’s Discount Day was a steep 45.9 percent, reflecting a larger-than-expected decline in daily earnings. Comparatively, Captain America: The Winter Soldier earned USD 4.8 million on its first Wednesday with a smaller 31.1 percent drop, Captain America: The First Avenger collected USD 5.8 million with a 25.9 percent dip, and Captain America: Civil War stood tall with USD 9 million, seeing a 34.8 percent drop.

Despite the southward trajectory within the franchise, Brave New World still secured a spot in the top five biggest Wednesday grosses for a February release. It trailed Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (USD 3.9M, -45.5%), Fifty Shades of Grey (USD 4.2M, -23.9%), Deadpool (USD 8.6M, -25.5%), and the reigning champion, Black Panther, which raked in a staggering USD 14.7 million with a 29 percent drop on its first Wednesday.

Captain America 4, directed by Julius Onah, sees Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson stepping into the mantle of the titular superhero after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The film also stars Harrison Ford as Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross, replacing the late William Hurt, alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, and Shira Haas as Sabra. Liv Tyler reprises her role as Betty Ross, marking her return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after The Incredible Hulk (2008).

The plot follows Wilson navigating the complexities of his role while facing a global crisis. As tensions rise, he must work alongside his allies to prevent a catastrophic event that could alter world history. With Ford’s Ross now serving as the U.S. president, the film intertwines superhero action with political intrigue, adding a fresh layer to the MCU narrative.

While we are on the topic, it is important to note that the said narrative is not being much appreciated by Marvel fans, who feel the latter element overshadowed the signature superhero action premise of the Captain America franchise.

After six days in theaters, Brave New World has amassed a total domestic gross of USD 109.8 million. While the film’s initial performance remains decent, the sharp weekday declines suggest that its long-term trajectory may struggle to mirror previous Captain America installments. With strong competition ahead, including the highly anticipated The Monkey, the film will need sustained audience interest to maintain momentum at the box office in the coming weeks.