Once again, the summer movie season is off to an early start. Following the lead of 2011’s Fast Five, Marvel’s Captain America sequel, The Winter Soldier breaks onto the scene eyeing another major April opening.
It’s been nearly three years since the last Captain America movie – The First Avenger. Developed more in 2012’s The Avengers and with no Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 breathing down its neck this time, The Winter Soldier has a strong chance at making history. Well, the April record, currently held by Fast Five.
The Winter Soldier picks up a few years after the events of The Avengers. Captain America (Chris Evans) continues to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. under Nick Fury. However, Cap continues to struggle in modern times and questions the organization’s moral code.
SEE ALSO: Captain America Squares Off Against Winter Soldier in Super Bowl Trailer
No longer is it a simple black-and-white matter. With all these shades of gray, he can only trust himself and a few allies – mainly Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and newcomer Falcon (Anthony Mackie). Matters get worse when he’s confronted by a mysterious threat, known as The Winter Soldier.
The Winter Soldier begins it heroic run starting 8 p.m. Thursday night with both 2D, 3D and IMAX showings. Captain America should have no problems pulling in at least $6-8 million within its first few hours. That will be the start of a massive haul, while will surpass the original’s $65 million with ease. A few months ago, Thor: The Dark World opened to $85 million. Captain America should see a similar opener, perhaps a few notches higher come Sunday thanks to a highly positive critical consensus.
Box Office Projections
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Buena Vista) – $87.2 million (NR)
2. Noah (Paramount) – $21.2 million (1)
3. Divergent (Lionsgate/Summit Entertaiment) – $11.9 million (2)
4. Muppets Most Wanted (Buena Vista) – $8.7 million (3)
5. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (20th Century Fox) – $7.2 million (4)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Marshall is a YouTube movie reviewer who hosts MNMreviews. He has a B.A. in Communications/Journalism from St. John Fisher College and resides in Rochester, NY.
