By the end of business today, Marvel Studios Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will surpass Marvel Studios Black Widow to become the highest grossing U.S. release in 2021. The Pandemic Box Office has been fickle but Shang-Chi has held course through 3 weeks and now actually looks set to be #1 at the U.S. box office for a 4th week.
Shang-Chi enters September 24th only $200,000 behind Black Widow, has been averaging a little more than $1.6M the last 3 days and should have enough momentum to earn another $10M at the box office this weekend which should be plenty to keep the #1 spot, especially as Dear Evan Hansen looks to be a bomb. If everything stays on track, Shang-Chi should cross the $200M mark in the U.S. sometime next week, making for an impressive theatrical haul in the midst of the pandemic.
Shang-Chi‘s success has emboldened Disney to keep its next Marvel Studios film, Eternals, as a theatrical exclusive opening on November 5th. The film will feature another set of unknown characters, like Shang-Chi, but boasts an ensemble cast full of big names. Shang–Chi is the champ but the question now becomes how long will it hold the belt.
