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Fact check: Captain America Brave New World is currently tracking to be a financial failure.

Checked on February 28, 2025

1. Summary of the results

The financial performance of "Captain America: Brave New World" presents a complex picture that cannot be definitively labeled as a failure yet. The film had a strong opening weekend, earning $192.4 million globally [1] and marking the biggest debut of 2025 [2]. However, there are significant concerns about its long-term performance:

  • The break-even estimates vary widely:
  • Some sources cite $425 million with a $180 million budget [3]
  • Others suggest needing $900 million with a $350-375 million budget [4]
  • Current global earnings are reported at $290 million [3]
  • Second-weekend ticket sales showed substantial drops [3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual factors are missing from the original statement:

  • The film's reception metrics are mixed:
  • 50% Rotten Tomatoes critic score [2]
  • 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes [5]
  • Lowest CinemaScore in MCU history (B-) [5]
  • Historical context: The opening is actually the third-best for a Captain America movie [2] and performed nearly twice as well as "The Marvels" [6]
  • Future projections vary significantly:
  • Conservative estimates suggest $300-400 million total [7]
  • Optimistic projections reach $600+ million [6]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement makes a premature conclusion about the film's financial status:

  • Media bias considerations: Different stakeholders have varying interests:
  • Disney/Marvel stakeholders might benefit from positive spin on opening numbers
  • Competing studios might benefit from narratives about "MCU fatigue"
  • The film is performing better than some past MCU "flops" [6]
  • Timing bias: Making definitive statements about a film's financial performance during its theatrical run is premature, especially given the mixed signals between strong opening numbers [1] and concerning long-term indicators [3]

The reality is more nuanced than the original statement suggests, with the final financial outcome still uncertain based on varying budget reports and projected earnings.

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