Current estimates point to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness having opened in North America this weekend with a massive $185 million. While the sequel doesn't appear to be destined to cross the $200 million mark, those early predictions were always fairly bullish for the Marvel movie.
With a $265 million international debut, the Sam Raimi-helmed blockbuster has already passed $450 million during its first weekend in theaters. While Top Gun: Maverick is on the horizon, you have to believe the Doctor Strange sequel stands a good chance of eventually topping the $1 billion mark.
As well as netting the tenth biggest worldwide opening of all time, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness also had the fifth-highest global debut for an MCU movie. It also marks Sam Raimi's biggest opening in the U.S., Marvel Studios' seventh biggest opening domestically, and the second-highest opening weekend for one of their solo outings. Those are a lot of impressive accolades.
With Marvel Studios' Phase 4 and Phase 5 plans mostly a mystery to us right now, we don't know when Doctor Strange 3 could be released. It's been six years since the first movie arrived in theaters, so don't be surprised if we're left waiting a while before catching up with the former Sorcerer Supreme.
"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is a one of a kind blockbuster experience and a pure, unadulterated Sam Raimi movie that, while not quite the crazy ride through the Multiverse we expected, delivers a fun, horror-tinged trip," we said in our review of the blockbuster this week.
Have you seen Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness yet?