Will ‘Doctor Strange’ Be Too Obscure For Audiences? $55M – $75M Opening Weekend Estimates

Tickets went on sale for ‘Doctor Strange’ Monday and the film is tracking for an opening weekend of $55 – $75 million domestic box office take, according to Deadline.

Will this be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film that will be too complex for the average movie goer? ‘Ant-Man’ is a simple concept to understand, he gets very small, but he is a second tier character and the film opened at $57 million in the middle of the 2015 summer. The ‘Guardians of The Galaxy’ is the exception to the rule, taking a bunch of third tier characters to box office gold with a $94 million opening in 2014.

‘Doctor Strange’ looks to have amazing visuals unlike any previous entry from the MCU. The trailers are playing up the big spectacle, but they do lack a grounded story. Where’s Rachel McAdams? Right now audiences are getting cookie cutter lines from Benedict Cumberbatch and Mads Mikkelsen. This might be the first film that Marvel doesn’t know how to market properly.


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On top that, Doctor Strange’s powers make him look more like a Green Lantern than a mystic, we also don’t get an explanation to why the world is folding. With ‘Inception’ at least Christopher Nolan explained it was a dream world and anything was possible.

What are the rules of the mystic universe in ‘Doctor Strange?’

Powers and abilities according to Wikipedia:
Strange is a practicing magician who draws his powers from mystical entities such as Agamotto, Cyttorak, Ikonn, Oshtur, Raggadorr, and Watoomb, who lend their energies for spells. Strange also wields mystical artifacts including the Cloak of Levitation which enables him to fly; the Eye of Agamotto, an amulet whose light is used to negate evil magic; the Book of the Vishanti. a grimoire which contains knowledge of white magic; and the Orb of Agamotto, a crystal ball which is used for clairvoyance.

In addition to his magical abilities, Strange is trained in several martial arts disciplines, and has shown proficiency with numerous magically conjured weapons including swords and axes. Strange was a skilled neurosurgeon before nerve damage impaired his hands.

Are you planning to see ‘Doctor Strange’ opening weekend?

‘Doctor Strange’ is directed by Scott Derrickson and stars Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Michael Stuhlbarg with Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton.

‘Doctor Strange’ will hit theaters on November 4, 2016

Matthew Sardo
Matthew Sardo
As the founder of Monkeys Fighting Robots, I'm currently training for my next job as an astronaut cowboy. Reformed hockey goon, comic book store owner, video store clerk, an extra in 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon,' 'Welcome Back Freshman,' and for one special day, I was a Ghostbuster.