Marvel's Shang-Chi earns Rs 4.31 cr at Indian box office on Sunday

On what’s traditionally one of the sleepiest weekends at the movies, the Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings smashed the record for Labor Day openings with an estimated $71.4 million in ticket sales, giving a box office reeling from the recent coronavirus surge a huge lift heading into the fall season. The Friday-to-Sunday gross for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Marvel’s first film led by an Asian superhero, ranks as one of the best debuts of the pandemic, trailing only the previous Marvel film, _Black Widow_  ($80.3 million in July). Overseas, it pulled in $56.2 million for a global three-day haul of $127.6 million. Disney anticipates Shang Chi, made for about $150 million, will add $12.1 million domestically on Monday. The Walt Disney Co. opted to release Shang-Chi only in theatres where it will have an exclusive 45-day run. Some of the studio’s releases this year, including Black Widow, have premiered day-and-date in theatres and on Disney+ for $30. “This is a fantastic opening on a traditionally quiet Labor Day weekend,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “The three-day number is a record-breaker for the holiday, a positive finish to the summer… (marking) a sensational weekend for the industry.” A confidence booster to film exhibitors  The strong opening of Shang-Chi — forecasts had been closer to $50 million — was a major relief for Hollywood, which had seen jittery releases the last few weeks during rising COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant. Several upcoming films have recently been postponed out of the fall, including Paramount Pictures ’ Top Gun: Maverick, Jackass Forever and Clifford the Big Red Dog. Disney’s weekend, though, should lend confidence to upcoming big-budget releases such as the James Bond film _No Time to Die_  from MGM and United Artists Releasing, and Sony Pictures’ Venom: Let There Be Carnage. [caption id=“attachment_9908281” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Simu Liu as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings[/caption] Disney has so far declined to telegraph its future theatrical intentions, including for its next Marvel movie, Eternals (due out 5 November). Bob Chapek, Disney’s chief executive, earlier called the theatrical release of Shang-Chi “an interesting experiment” — a label that Canadian actor Simu Liu, who plays Shang-Chi took exception with. “We are not an experiment,” Liu wrote on Twitter. “We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year.” Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film is based on a relatively little-known comic and features a largely Asian or Asian American cast, including Tony Leung, Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh. Audiences and critics have heartily endorsed it. It has a 92% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore from moviegoers. Shang-Chi witnesses growth at Indian box office

#ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings jumps on Day 3… With a strong weekend on hand, it needs to perform well on weekdays for a healthy Week 1 total… Fri 2.97 cr, Sat 3.33 cr, Sun 4.31 cr. Total: ₹ 10.61 cr Nett BOC. #India biz. All versions... #ShangChi  ₹ 12.63 cr Gross BOC. pic.twitter.com/PKfbWXn1SS

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) September 6, 2021

In India, Shang-Chi recorded an impressive box office collection of Rs 6.5 crore within the first two days of its release. Tarde analysts expect the movie to perform well on the weekdays to end the first week on a high note. The total collection of the film currently stands at Rs 12.63 cr. A box office review of other releases Universal’s slasher film Candyman topped last weekend’s box office with just $22 million before slipping to second place this weekend with a three-day take of $10.6 million ($13 million for four days). It stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. In third place, this weekend was Free Guy from 20th Century, at $8.7 million ($11.2 million for four days). The sci-fi comedy stars Ryan Reynolds as an everyman bank teller who finds himself inside a huge video game. Paramount animation PAW Patrol: The Movie came in fourth, at $4 million ($5.2 million for four days). It tells the story of a boy and the brave young pups who help him save their city from an impeachment-worthy mayor. And in fifth was Disney’s family adventure film Jungle Cruise, with a take of $3.95 million ($5.2 million for four days). (With inputs from agencies)