With little competition until the end of the year, “Best Shooter: Maverick” continues to move forward confidently to establish itself not only as the biggest movie of 2022, but also as one of the most successful films of the last decade after it defeated “Avengers: Infinity War” from Marvel Studios.
According to Box Office Mojo, “Best Shooter: Maverick” surpassed “Avengers: Infinity War” at the box office in the United States with an income of $679 million received from American cinemas, which, combined with foreign revenues, gives Tom Cruise’s blockbuster the total amount. 1.403 billion dollars worldwide. This new commercial record is set exactly one month after the sequel to “The Best Shooter” surpassed the first “Avengers” movie, and also outpaced films such as “Titanic” and “Jurassic Park”, at least if inflation is not taken into account.
Top Gun: Maverick can be purchased digitally from August 23 on multiple platforms. However, Paramount’s strategy of keeping the film in theaters for as long as possible could lead to it surpassing Black Panther’s $700 million bill next time. The success story of the film confirmed the decision of Cruise and the studio to postpone the release of “The Best Shooter” as long as possible until market conditions become suitable for a large-scale and long-lasting theatrical run.
Internationally, Maverick’s next two targets should be “Cold Heart 2” ($1.450 billion), “Fast and Furious 7” ($1.516 billion) and the original “Avengers” ($1.518 billion). All of these records were set with the clear advantage of being able to rely on the huge revenue generated from China’s box office, whose censors prevented Top Gun: Maverick from landing in mainland China. Nevertheless, the stellar screening of “The Best Shooter: Maverick” in cinemas may become an important precedent for future blockbusters.
The current trend of the film industry is towards a shorter screening window, usually around the 45-day mark, whereas by now Top Gun: Maverick has almost doubled that standard with more money to back it up. All of this, combined with Paramount’s reluctance to release Top Gun on its streaming service, means cinemas are still a popular option for most people wanting to watch or review a movie.
If the long-awaited “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, one of Marvel Studios’ upcoming hits, or some other cinematic surprise does not appear before the end of the year, Cruise’s star power seems to lift Top Gun: Maverick to the very top. Ultimately, it seems like the perfect prize for a sequel that pays homage to Tony Scott’s “Best Shooter.”
“The Best Shooter: Maverick” is now in theaters.
