Thursday previews bring in $38.5 million for 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' setting a record for opening weekend.

• In Thursday previews, "Deadpool and Wolverine" from Disney and Marvel grossed $38.5 million.
• The first R-rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most anticipated releases of 2024.
• The film featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman is predicted to generate between $160 million and $180 million during its domestic release.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" has secured $38.5 million in Thursday previews and is expected to have a domestic debut of over $150 million, breaking the record for an R-rated film.

The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, set to release in 2024, is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year and marks the first R-rated film in the franchise. The preview haul was the eighth largest ever and the highest for an R-rated release.

"Thursday previews are now a crucial element in the release plan for major studio films, according to Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. These previews not only offer early access to excited fans who can't wait to see the latest blockbuster on the big screen before its official release, but also provide a vital indicator of the potential opening weekend box office to studios, analysts, and journalists alike."

The three-day opening weekend box office for blockbuster comic book and franchise films typically includes higher ticket sales on Thursday night, as fans want to see the movie before spoilers are revealed.

The domestic box office is predicted to earn between $160 million and $180 million from the release of "Deadpool & Wolverine."

The highest opening weekend for a film in 2024 and the largest debut of an R-rated film will be marked by this haul.

The 34th film under the MCU banner, "Deadpool and Wolverine," is the first to receive an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool films, both rated R, were produced and released through 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired the company in 2019, bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four back into the larger Marvel portfolio.

Movie theater operators revealed to CNBC that they anticipate the R-rating will not discourage moviegoers. Instead, it may attract more viewers to the film.

"Disney and Marvel may benefit from the release of "Deadpool & Wolverine" after a recent slowdown in the number of theatrical and streaming releases, according to Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. This event-level story is designed to appeal to both casual and uninitiated viewers."

Since the last MCU release in November 2021, "Deadpool & Wolverine" is the first film to be released in 2024. Marvel Studios has scheduled four MCU releases for 2025, one for 2026, and one for 2027.

Marvel has announced that it will present a panel at San Diego Comic Con and Disney's D23 Expo in August, which could alter the calendar. Changes may occur after the firing of Kang actor Jonathan Majors and production delays caused by last year's actors and writers strikes.