The Multiverse cracked open, three Spider-Men shared the screen, and a sentient goat screamed in IMAX, yes, Phase 4 of the MCU has been a wild ride. While the Disney+ shows were out here multiplying timelines and emotions, the theatrical side of Phase 4 delivered everything from epic team-ups to, well, Eternals. Let’s just say the results were as varied as Thor’s moods.
Spanning multiversal madness, emotional goodbyes, and box office curveballs, Phase 4 felt like Marvel tossing all their toys into a cosmic blender. Some films soared into billion-dollar territory (hello again, Peter Parker), while others limped into meme infamy. But love it or meh it, Phase 4 took bold swings, and not all of them missed.
So, how did each theatrical outing really perform when it came to cold, hard cash? We’ve crunched the numbers, dodged some trolls, and lined them up from “Wakanda forever!” to “Wait, that came out this phase?” Here’s how the Phase 4 films stack up at the global box office.
Black Widow, the film that finally gave Natasha Romanoff her solo moment after a decade of saving the world in group settings. It’s like that one spy thriller you’d watch while making your breakfast, slick, suspenseful, but still leaving you wanting more. (via Box Office Mojo)
And then there’s Yelena Belova, basically the MCU’s newest scene-stealer, serving us snark with a side of “I’m gonna steal the show.” A budgeted $200 million with a Disney+ release, guess the world just wasn’t quite ready for Widow’s solo debut. Still, Yelena deserves her own franchise, don’t you think?
Eternals (2021) — $402 Million
A cosmic, star-studded experiment of mythic proportions, Eternals was the Marvel movie that promised so much and yet left us scratching our heads. Introducing ten new heroes? In the Eternals? Talk about crowd management. It’s like throwing a massive dinner party with way too many guests.
A $200 million budget with a modest $402 million gross (via Box Office Mojo) sounds fine until you factor in marketing expenses, and then it becomes a “meh” moment. Still, maybe the Eternals’ most significant gift was their immortal lesson: Maybe not every superhero needs a sequel.
Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021) — $432.2 Million
Shang-Chi came in like a dragon punch to the face—unexpected and utterly delightful. Marvel took a gamble with a martial arts movie for a character that was, at the time, just a blip on the radar. But lo and behold, Shang-Chi dazzled critics and fans alike with his punchy choreography and a heartwarming family story, that you’ll forgive that first terrible, terrible CGI dragon.
The movie’s modest budget of $150 million made its $432 million haul feel like a win, with an underdog fight that we can all cheer for. (via Box Office Mojo)
Thor: Love And Thunder (2022) — $760 Million
Picture this, Thor: Love and Thunder is like that flamboyant friend who shows up to the party, fully expecting the world to adore them. Tada! It’s got Taika Waititi’s zany humor, a swoon-worthy Christian Bale as the villain, and Natalie Portman returning in a fierce new role. But wait! Word-of-mouth wasn’t as kind as we thought.
The film still did well, pocketing a neat $760 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), but it fell short of breaking the billion-dollar mark. Still, who doesn’t love a good thunder strike, even if it’s a little thunderous in all the wrong ways?
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)- $859 Million
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever roared into theaters with heart, honor, and heroics, proving that Wakanda still had plenty of fights left without T’Challa. With Shuri stepping into the spotlight and the film paying a moving tribute to Chadwick Boseman, audiences showed up in full force, especially in North America, where it outperformed its overseas haul. Sure, it didn’t outgross the first movie, but with $854 million worldwide (Box Office Mojo) and an ocean’s worth of emotions, Wakanda most definitely thrived forever.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022) — $954.4 Million
Doctor Strange strolled into multiversal chaos, bringing a whole host of cameos, alternate dimensions, and enough fan service to fuel a thousand TikToks. The trouble was that while the multiverse promised madness, it kind of ended up as confusion.
Nonetheless, Doctor Strange 2 brought in some serious cash, with $954 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). The film may have been a jigsaw puzzle of directing styles and reshoots, but its madness still made bank. And hey, America Chavez made her debut, even if it was just to punch portals.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — $1.9 Billion
Spider-Man: No Way Home wasn’t just a movie. It was an event. Imagine the MCU crossing a multiverse of Spideys, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield joining Tom Holland in an epic crossover so powerful, that the box office practically exploded.
We’re talking about $1.9 billion in worldwide earnings (via Box Office Mojo), with fans lined up for tickets like they were buying limited-edition sneakers. Spidey swung back into global icon status, and honestly, it felt like Marvel was giving us the most massive high-five ever. The real question? How could they ever top this?
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
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