It may not have enjoyed the same kind of runaway success as recent entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the superhero sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp has now passed the half billion dollar mark at the global box office thanks to a bumper opening in China.
On Friday, the movie banked $24 million in China, putting it ahead of Black Panther ($22.7 million) and Spider-Man: Homecoming ($21.6 million), followed by another $23.4 million on Saturday to leave it just shy of the original Ant-Man’s $519.3 million haul.
Ant-Man and the Wasp is expected to earn around $70 million in the Middle Kingdom this weekend, which would be the biggest Chinese opening weekend for a Marvel movie that doesn’t have Avengers or Civil War in the title.
Overall, box office analysts are predicting that Ant-Man and the Wasp could finish its run with around $650 million in total, which would surely all but guarantee a third outing for Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne.
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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.
