At the beginning of the summer movie season, Captain America: Civil War started a climb towards the top spot of the domestic box office of 2016. However, its efforts have been for naught, as a new film has taken the top title at the U.S. box office. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Finding Dory, your new domestic box office champion.
After three weekends at the top, with this past weekend seeing the film in a distant third to The Secret Life of Pets, ComicBook.com has run the numbers, and shown that Finding Dory's _$422.5 million has now trumped _Captain America: Civil War's $406.2 million haul at the domestic box office. With the international grosses accounted for, the Pixar sequel has brought in $642.8 million, which indicates that the international charts will be a harder chart to conquer, as the film is in 6th place overall.
The next competitor to beat would be Fox's Deadpool, which is currently sitting at $781.6 million worldwide. After that, four other films will stand in Finding Dory's path to the top. As it stands, the international box office charts may not change too much between now and the winter tentpole season. But there is a trump card that Disney is more than likely counting on to bring the film to a higher standing worldwide: there are still more territories that the film has yet to open in.
Between now and September 29th, there are 15 international territories that are still waiting to see Finding Dory released into their seas. With that many countries still on the map, there's a shot that the film will top, at the very least, two more films. Deadpool's international gross seems like an easy conquest, with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice's $872.7 million looking like a possible victory as well. Should this happen, Finding Dory may find itself landing as the fourth highest grossing film internationally - with three other Disney films ranking in before it. One final twist may see it fall to fifth highest though, as Disney has one more film that could conquer the top 5 slots internationally.
After last year's release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw the reanimated franchise shoot to the top of the charts, there's still a good chance that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story could make the top spot its home. With its trailer already impressing eager audiences and critics alike, lightning could strike twice for that galaxy far, far away. We'll have to wait until December 16th to see if Rogue One makes the grade, while you can keep your eyes on Finding Dory, as it continues to open internationally, as well as play on domestic screens everywhere.
