'Shehzada,' 'Shaakuntalam,' 'Ant-Man' to give us mega clash this month
The year 2023 promises to be an exciting year, as a number of interesting titles are lined up for theatrical releases. Massive blockbusters like Shah Rukh Khan-led Pathaan, Vijay's Varisu, and Ajith Kumar's Thunivu dominated the box office in January. In February, we are set to witness a mega clash at the box office, courtesy of Kartik Aaryan, Paul Rudd, and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Why does this story matter?
Many exhibitors and producers have faced the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the shutdown of theaters. Notably, in the pre-pandemic era, many producers used to avoid releasing their films with any other movie, in order to enjoy maximum footfalls. However, in the aftermath of the pandemic, this scenario has completely changed, and there is a significant rise in box office clashes.
Witness a box office battle on February 17
Mark the calendar, as the year's biggest box office battle is going to happen on February 17, across Bollywood, Tollywood, and Hollywood. Aaryan's Shehzada, a quirky mass entertainer, will clash with Prabhu's mythological epic Shaakuntalam, and Hollywood biggie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Initially, Shehzada was slated to be released on February 10, but due to Pathaan, it was delayed by a week.
'Ant-Man' will be the first MCU release of 2023
Ant-Man will be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) release of 2023. The movie will follow the timeline where the size-altering hero Ant-Man aka Scott Lang and Wasp aka Hope van Dyne, get trapped in the Quantum Realm. Earlier, it was confirmed at a D23 panel, that the next Ant-Man installment will directly tie into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty coming in 2025.
What are the other major box office clashes this year?
In order to take advantage of the Independence Day weekend, three Bollywood biggies - Ranbir Kapoor, Vivek Agnihotri, and John Abraham will battle it out with each other at the box office. Sandeep Reddy Vanga's directorial Animal starring Kapoor will premiere on August 11, while The Kashmir Files director Agnihotri's The Vaccine War and Abraham's Tariq will be released on August 15.
