2018 has been a fantastic year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as it celebrates its ‘First Ten Years’ by taking its worldwide box office haul beyond the $17 billion mark, an astonishing sum from 20 movies.
Black Panther got Marvel’s year off to a great start, becoming the highest-grossing domestic superhero release of all time with just under $700 million in North America and $1.35 billion worldwide. And then in April we had Avengers: Infinity War, which has become only the fourth movie in history to reach the $2 billion mark globally.
This past weekend saw Ant-Man and the Wasp enter the marketplace, and while its $161 global opening is a far cry from its two predecessors, the sequel has pushed the MCU to a whopping $17.07 billion in total box office grosses.
The nearest competitor, Star Wars, sits on $9.23 billion overall, and by the time that hits $10 billion (presumably) with next year’s Star Wars: Episode IX, the MCU will likely have passed the $20 billion mark, what with Captain Marvel, Avengers 4 and Spider-Man: Far From Home all incoming next year.
Incredible.
SEE ALSO: Read our reviews of Ant-Man and the Wasp here and here
From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes Ant-Man and The Wasp, a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink. In the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a super hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside the Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from the past.
Ant-Man and the Wasp sees Peyton Reed returning to the director’s chair and stars Paul Rudd (Scott Lang), Evangeline Lilly (Hope Van Dyne), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym), Michael Pena (Luis), David Dastmalchian (Kurt), Abby Ryder Fortson (Cassie Lang), Judy Greer (Maggie), Bobby Cannavale (Paxton) and T.I. (Dave), while new additions to the cast include Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster/Goliath, Hannah John-Kamen as The Ghost, Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch and Randall Park as Jimmy Woo.
