'Eternals' debuted with the lowest US box office for a Marvel Studios movie in 6 years

• "Eternals" debuted with $71 million at the US box office, the worst opening for an MCU movie in six years.
• Poor reviews and subpar audience reactions could derail its future performance as well.

Marvel's "Eternals" opened with $71 million at the US box office over the weekend, marking the fourth biggest domestic debut of the pandemic.

It's a solid start by pandemic standards, as the theatrical industry slowly recovers. But it's underwhelming by Marvel Cinematic Universe standards. It's the lowest domestic debut for an MCU movie since 2015's "Ant-Man," which earned $57 million in its opening weekend in the US.

Other MCU entries this year, "Black Widow" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," opened with $80 million and $75 million respectively. The latter earned $94 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend.

"Eternals" opened on the low end of some analyst projections. Shawn Robbins, the chief analyst at Box Office Pro, projected a $78 million opening, but noted a range between $68 million and $88 million. He said in his Thursday forecast that negative reviews had "dented social traction and pre-sales momentum."

The movie is the worst reviewed MCU film yet, with a 48% Rotten Tomatoes critic score. It also received a B grade from CinemaScore, also the worst yet for an MCU movie. CinemaScore surveys audiences on a movie's opening night.

Paul Dergarabedian, the Comscore senior media analyst, told Insider last week that "audience sentiment will be important" for its long-term box office. But with poor reviews and subpar audience reactions, it may not have the kind of positive word of mouth that made "Shang-Chi" a success.

A China release is also likely out of reach, which would negatively impact its global box office. No MCU movie has been approved for release in the region this year, which has surpassed the US as the world's biggest box office. "Eternals" director Chloé Zhao, who was born in China, faced criticism from Chinese nationalists over a 2013 interview in which she said "there are lies everywhere" in China.

"I would be surprised if 'Eternals' got released in China," Aynne Kokas, a media studies professor at the University of Virginia and the author of the book "Hollywood Made in China," recently told Insider. "The controversy has gotten a lot of attention and has been a rallying cry for Chinese netizens."

The movie has so far grossed $161 million worldwide.

The MCU has earned $23 billion worldwide across 25 movies, not counting "Eternals," according to data from Comscore. It's the biggest movie franchise of all time. Even if "Eternals" disappoints at the box office, there are plenty of movies coming that could rebound the brand's image.

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" debuts in December. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," "Thor: Love and Thunder," and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will be released next year.