The upcoming Marvel tentpole Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is predicted to be a film office smash in India, with presales equivalent to their former blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home. As of 10 a.m., four days before its release, the sorcerer supreme and Stephen Strange had presold nearly 5.50 lakh tickets for around Rs. 19 crores (Rs. 15.50 crores Nett) for its opening weekend. Almost half of the sales are on the first day, with a big spread in premium formats for Saturday and Sunday.
The film’s sales total is comparable to No Way Home three days before its December release. Though Spider-stats Man’s are for 24 hours, opening tickets for sale significantly closer to the release date, Strange is on sale for nearly a month. Normally, films do not go on sale in India until four or five days before their release date; however, Disney set a new precedent by selling Dr Strange tickets last month.
IMAX and 4DX, as is customary for Hollywood blockbusters, are boosting sales, with almost Rs. 5 crores in sales for the large-screen format and about Rs. 2 crores for the moving seats. 3D remains popular with Indian audiences, accounting for over 60% of total ticket sales. PVR tops all chains in ticket sales, accounting for one-third of total ticket sales and a whopping 40% in terms of money with Rs. 8.20 crores. Geographically, South India accounts for 40% of overall sales, with Mumbai leading the way, followed by Delhi/UP and Mysore.
The film has four days to release and has an excellent chance of surpassing the final sales of No Way Home, which ended with 14 lakh ticket sales before release. Three Marvel films have had the highest openings in India, with two Avengers films topping the charts and No Way Homecoming in third with Rs. 39.30 crores. Dr Strange is expected to gross more than Rs. 30 crores (Rs. 25 crores Nett) on Friday and more than Rs. 90 crores throughout the weekend (Rs. 75 crores Nett).
