By Mat Elfring on May 17, 2017 11:39 pm
On Sunday, May 21, the Smackdown brand-exclusive event Backlash is coming to the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. The event will have almost all of the show's titles on the line, and it will be the in-ring debut of Shinsuke Nakamura. We think we have a good idea for who is going to win, so here is the full card and our predictions for each match
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English (Kickoff Match)
Tye Dillinger has already beaten Aiden English twice now, and at Backlash, English will have one more chance to best "The Perfect 10." This is English's first solo storyline now that his former tag partner, Simon Gotch, left the company. We're getting to see a pre-Vaudevillains English from his early NXT days. However, he's still not back to singing his own entrance music. Seeing as Dillinger has already beaten English twice already, it's a bit of a head scratcher to see this match happen for a third time. Dillinger is already over, as you can hear the "10" chants at every WWE event, and English is reestablishing his early NXT character. Because of this, we think that English is going to come out on top, as he's been squashed in way too many matches during the past year. Prediction: Aiden English wins.
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Two mid-carders working their way up the ladder, Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin, have found themselves in a little bit of a feud. The two have been attacking each other during segments and matches, and now, they'll be fighting each other at Backlash. From what it seems, this is the year that Corbin will get a bigger push. This is a tad problematic since both of these stars are over with fans. However, since Zayn is usually pushed as the ultimate underdog, we're giving the win to Corbin--who seems like he's on his way to main event status a lot quicker. The hope is that this rivalry will continue, with Zayn eventually coming out on top at the next PPV. Prediction: Baron Corbin wins
Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowen
In a hastily put together match, the two former members of the Wyatt Family, Luke Harper and Erick Rowen, will square off at Backlash. WWE has been pushing this rivalry, but it just doesn't feel like it's working yet, even though it has an incredible amount of potential. Hopefully, the PPV will give this story some legs. Luke Harper has been on a roll as of late, especially with his involvement in the Randy Orton/Bray Wyatt story. We're thinking this match will be a bigger push for him, but at the same time, it should push the Harper/Rowen story further. Because of that, Harper will win but only because Rowen will get disqualified. Prediction: Luke Harper wins by DQ
Naomi, Charlotte Flair, & Becky Lynch vs. Natalya, Carmella, & Tamina
The faces take on the heels in this six-woman tag match, utilizing the entire female roster. Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina--now going by the name "The Welcoming Committee"--have assumed a dominant role in the women's division with a "you're either with us or against us" attitude. They'll be taking on the heroes of the division: Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Smackdown Women's Champion Naomi. It's a huge bummer to see the entire women's roster be thrown into one match for the PPV. Personally, a couple of singles matches would help fill out the PPV a bit better, and this match doesn't showcase any single talent. We think to unify the team a bit more and establish them as a fearsome force, the win will go to the Welcoming Committee. In addition, this may be where Charlotte turns on her partners, to join the villains. Prediction: The Welcoming Committee wins dirty, with the help of Charlotte
The Usos (c) vs. Breezango
(For the Smackdown Tag Team Championships) In one of the biggest shockers of the year, Breezango became the No. 1 contenders for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships. Very quickly, because of their backstage antics, they are now one of the most entertaining parts of the show. Now, they'll take on the Usos, who are also in the middle of a resurgence with a fantastic new gimmick. These two teams have quickly become the best in their division, especially when the Usos turned heel/paranoid conspiracy theorists. Maybe it's the Breezango fanatic talking, but the win will go to the fashion police, in hopes this rivalry continues, which should help revitalize Smackdown's tag team division. Prediction: Breezango wins
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
Shinsuke Nakamura has finally made his way to Smackdown. However, since his first appearance, he hasn't had an actual match. This has upset veteran Dolph Ziggler, and the two will battle it out at Backlash. This match is going to be a barn-burner, with both men having a record of putting on some great matches. Considering how much time and effort WWE has spent building up Nakamura, it seems insane to give the win to Ziggler here, unless he does something dastardly. All-in-all, we're giving the win to Nakamura. Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura wins
Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles
(For the United States Championship) "The New Face of America," Kevin Owens, is now on Smackdown and already making enemies with well-established stars. He'll be taking on one of the show's premiere athletes, AJ Styles. Just like Ziggler/Nakamura, this match has the potential to be a barn-burner as well. Owens was already an established star on Raw. Now, he just needs to prove his worth on the Tuesday night show. The only way for him to do that is get the win at Backlash. We're thinking he's going to get the win dirty, but one thing is for sure: this has the potential to be match of the night. Prediction: Kevin Owens wins dirty
Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
(For the WWE Championship) Jinder Mahal came over to Smackdown and was very quickly thrust into the WWE Championship picture. While this seemed out of nowhere and ridiculous, it quickly got over with many fans, especially with the addition of the Singh brothers as his henchmen. This storyline has been a lot of fun, especially when Mahal did a photoshoot while holding the championship belt, and his character went from mid-carder to main event status quickly. It also made many people realize that Orton is as an uninteresting champion when compared to those who came before him. In order for Smackdown to keep beating Raw in the ratings, Mahal has to win. Prediction: Jinder Mahal wins after interference from the Singh brothers.
By Mat Elfring on May 17, 2017 03:05 am
Because other companies own the rights to some of Marvel's properties, characters from all across the Marvel universe have been featured in twice as many films as DC. This includes characters from The Avengers, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and more. Here are how all those films did in the box office, in order by worldwide totals, adjusted for inflation. Check out how DC's films did at the box office here. Box office numbers and information came from IMDb and Box Office Mojo. UPDATE 5/16/2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's numbers and ranking were updated.
The Punisher (1989)
The late '80s Punisher film was full of bad dialogue, a cheesy plot, and many unmemorable moments. Somehow, the Dolph Lungren driven film found a cult following. Worldwide total: $533,411 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,036,873) The Punisher was only released in Europe.
Man-Thing (2005)
Man-Thing went straight to the Syfy Channel in the States; however, it did get a small release in Europe. Worldwide total: $1,123,136 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,386,167)
Punisher: War Zone (2008)
The over-the-top, ultra-violent Punisher: War Zone didn't have the box office success it hoped for, even with the Punisher spinning from a chandelier, shooting people. US: $8,050,977 (Adjusted for Inflation: $9,013,304) Worldwide total: $10,100,036 (Adjusted for Inflation: $11,307,285)
The Punisher (2004)
Thomas Jane played Frank Castle in the highly-anticipated 2004 film, but it received mixed reviews, even with WWE wrestler Kevin Nash playing one of the villains. US: $33,810,189 (Adjusted for Inflation: $43,142,087) Worldwide total: $54,700,105 (Adjusted for Inflation: $69,797,797)
Elektra (2005)
Spinning out of 2003's Daredevil, Jennifer Garner starred as the titular Elektra in this critically panned film. US: $24,409,722 (Adjusted for Inflation: $30,126,321) Worldwide total: $56,681,566 (Adjusted for Inflation: $69,956,023)
Howard the Duck (1986)
Most people remember only a couple things from Howard the Duck: Lea Thompson having sex with the titular character and a topless female duck. It was a pretty weird film. US: $16,295,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $35,838,510) Worldwide total: $37,962,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $83,489,699)
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012)
The Ghost Rider sequel didn't win over American moviegoers as much as the rest of the world, with the majority of its box office coming from other countries. US: $51,774,002 (Adjusted for Inflation: $54,354,651) Worldwide total: $132,563,930 (Adjusted for Inflation: $139,171,513)
Blade: Trinity (2004)
The third and final Blade film had the titular character joining up with the famed Nightstalkers to hunt vampires. US: $52,411,906 (Adjusted for Inflation: $66,878,035) Worldwide total: $128,905,366 (Adjusted for Inflation: $164,484,338)
Fantastic Four (2015)
Last year's Fantastic Four was a bit of a mess, but it still managed to pull in over $100 million from the rest of the world. US: $56,117,548 (Adjusted for Inflation: $57,069,583) Worldwide total: $167,977,596 (Adjusted for Inflation: $170,827,340)
Blade (1998)
Blade was the film that really kicked off the comic book movie craze that's been running for 18 years now. US: $70,087,718 (Adjusted for Inflation: $103,642,965) Worldwide total: $131,183,530 (Adjusted for Inflation: $193,989,053)
Blade II (2002)
The sequel to Blade did well, and it helped studios realize that mass audiences have a thirst for superheroes. US: $82,348,319 (Adjusted for Inflation: $110,333,930) Worldwide total: $155,010,032 (Adjusted for Inflation: $207,689,316)
Daredevil (2003)
The only superhero film to feature a fight on a see-saw didn't have a great reach to the international market. US: $102,543,518 (Adjusted for Inflation: $134,330,893) Worldwide total: $179,179,718 (Adjusted for Inflation: $234,723,482)
Ghost Rider (2007)
Nicolas Cage suited up as Johnny Blaze in what many comic book fans consider to be an entirely forgettable film. US: $115,802,596 (Adjusted for Inflation: $134,622,151) Worldwide total: $228,738,393 (Adjusted for Inflation: $265,911,608)
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Incredible Hulk was the second film in Marvel's Cinematic Universe. This was the only film in which Edward Norton played Bruce Banner. US: $134,806,913 (Adjusted for Inflation: $150,920,278) Worldwide total: $263,427,551 (Adjusted for Inflation: $294,914,841)
Hulk (2003)
Ang Lee's Hulk was incredibly stylized and very ambitious. While it did well worldwide, it received mixed reviews. US: $132,177,234 (Adjusted for Inflation: $173,150,739) Worldwide total: $245,360,480 (Adjusted for Inflation: $321,419,561)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
The Fantastic Four sequel strayed a bit from its comic roots and may have added a bit too much humor for many purists' liking. US: $131,921,738 (Adjusted for Inflation: $153,360,881) Worldwide total: $289,047,763 (Adjusted for Inflation: $336,022,102)
X-Men: First Class (2011)
This 2011 X-Men film went back in time, to the '70s, to examine how the first X-Men team came together. US: $146,408,305 (Adjusted for Inflation: $156,886,822) Worldwide total: $353,624,124 (Adjusted for Inflation: $378,933,184)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Chris Evans made his debut as Steve Rogers in this World War II film, which featured a CG'ed Evans to make him look scrawny. US: $176,654,505 (Adjusted for Inflation: $189,297,758) Worldwide total: $370,569,774 (Adjusted for Inflation: $397,091,643)
Fantastic Four (2005)
Fox's Fantastic Four introduced the world to the famed comic book family and was as big of a hit ovearseas as it was in America. US: $154,696,080 (Adjusted for Inflation: $190,924,903) Worldwide total: $330,579,719 (Adjusted for Inflation: $407,999,356)
X-Men (2000)
Hugh Jackman made his debut as Wolverine in 2000's X-Men. US: $157,299,717 (Adjusted for Inflation: $220,181,238) Worldwide total: $296,339,527 (Adjusted for Inflation: $414,803,059)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Although many people consider it to be the worst of all the X-Men films, X-Men Origins: Wolverine still pulled in more money than the first X-Men movie. US: $179,883,157 (Adjusted for Inflation: $202,103,489) Worldwide total: $373,062,864 (Adjusted for Inflation: $419,146,005)
The Wolverine (2013)
The sequel to the worst X-Men film did a bit better, but mainly because it resonated more with a global audience. US: $132,550,960 (Adjusted for Inflation: $137,148,994) Worldwide total: $414,828,246 (Adjusted for Inflation: $429,218,142)
Thor (2011)
The god of thunder got his own solo film in 2011, which did very well overseas. US: $181,030,624 (Adjusted for Inflation: $193,987,078) Worldwide total: $449,439,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $481,606,645)
Ant-Man (2015)
Once again, the world market came out in droves to see another Marvel film, which featured a superhero who controls ants. US: $180,202,163 (Adjusted for Inflation: $183,259,297) Worldwide total: $519,250,779 (Adjusted for Inflation: $528,059,882)
X2: X-Men United (2003)
X2 had some of the coolest scenes in all of the X-Men franchise. US: $214,949,694 (Adjusted for Inflation: $281,581,762) Worldwide total: $407,711,549 (Adjusted for Inflation: $534,097,697)
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
The latest X-Men film made the bulk of its money overseas. US: $155,442,489 Worldwide total: $534,619,896
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The final--and worst--of the original X-Men trilogy brought in the most money. US: $234,362,462 (Adjusted for Inflation: $280,209,618) Worldwide total: $459,359,555 (Adjusted for Inflation: $549,221,767)
Logan (2017)
Fox tries its hand at another Rated R comic book film, featuring Logan slashing his way through everyone. US: $225,078,088 Worldwide: $608,578,340
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Only a few days into its theatrical run, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is turning out to be a hit. US: $253,122,499 (as of 5/16/17) Worldwide total: $636,957,009
Iron Man (2008)
Iron Man was the movie that kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though--at the time--mass audiences weren't very familiar with the character, it was still a box office success. US: $318,412,101 (Adjusted for Inflation: $356,471,651) Worldwide total: $585,174,222 (Adjusted for Inflation: $655,119,641)
Thor: The Dark World (2013)
Thor: The Dark World wasn't a critical hit, but it did bring in around $180 million more than the first film. US: $206,321,198 (Adjusted for Inflation: $213,478,233) Worldwide total: $644,783,140 (Adjusted for Inflation: $667,149,896)
Big Hero 6 (2014)
While Big Hero 6 was a gigantic departure from the source material, this animated feature from Disney did great in the States and even better worldwide. US: $222,527,828 (Adjusted for Inflation: $226,571,635) Worldwide total: $657,127,828 (Adjusted for Inflation: $669,069,247)
Iron Man 2 (2010)
The followup to Iron Man did exceptionally well across the globe. US: $312,433,331 (Adjusted for Inflation: $345,362,224) Worldwide total: $623,933,331 (Adjusted for Inflation: $689,692,749)
Doctor Strange (2016)
Doctor Strange did decently in the United States, but it made the bulk of its money internationally. US: $231,901,043 Worldwide total: $670,042,595
Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Amazing Spider-Man 2 may not have been a huge hit in the States, but it killed overseas. US: $202,853,933 (Adjusted for Inflation: $206,540,223) Worldwide total: $708,982,323 (Adjusted for Inflation: $721,866,049)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
One of Marvel's best solo superhero films, Winter Solider made the bulk of its money overseas. US: $259,766,572 (Adjusted for Inflation: $264,487,086) Worldwide total: $714,766,572 (Adjusted for Inflation: $727,755,411)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The time-travelling sequel to X-Men: First Class did very well. US: $233,921,534 (Adjusted for Inflation: $238,172,389) Worldwide total: $748,121,534 (Adjusted for Inflation: $761,716,504)
Deadpool (2016)
In a surprise to many people, an R-rated superhero film did very well in the box office. US: $363,070,709 Worldwide total: $782,603,445
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Many moviegoers consider Guardians of the Galaxy to be the best team movie Marvel has put out to date. Sorry, Avengers. US: $333,176,600 (Adjusted for Inflation: $339,231,132) Worldwide total: $774,176,600 (Adjusted for Inflation: $788,245,046)
Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
The Spider-Man reboot wasn't as great as fans hoped, but it still did well in the box office. US: $262,030,663 (Adjusted for Inflation: $275,091,452) Worldwide total: $757,930,663 (Adjusted for Inflation: $795,709,344)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man follow-up also did great. US: $373,585,825 (Adjusted for Inflation: $476,698,677) Worldwide total: $783,766,341 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,000,092,489)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
While Spider-Man 3 made a ton of money, it's considered to be a terrible film. US: $336,530,303 (Adjusted for Inflation: $391,221,224) Worldwide total: $890,871,626 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,035,650,832)
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man was the first Marvel film to reach a billion dollars, when adjusted for inflation and held quite a few other records. US: $403,706,375 (Adjusted for Inflation: $540,903,708) Worldwide total: $821,708,551 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,100,961,565)
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The latest Captain America film has heroes fighting heroes, so of course, people went to the movie in droves. US: $407,264,745 Worldwide total: $1,151,852,525
Iron Man 3 (2013)
The final Iron Man film did exceptionally well. US: $409,013,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $423,202,200) Worldwide total: $1,215,439,994 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,257,602,155)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
The Avengers sequel pulled in almost a billion dollars overseas alone. US: $459,005,868 (Adjusted for Inflation: $466,792,915) Worldwide total: $1,405,035,767 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,428,872,237)
Avengers (2012)
Finally, sitting pretty at the top spot is the first Avengers film. US: $623,357,910 (Adjusted for Inflation: $654,428,878) Worldwide total: $1,518,594,910 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,594,288,526)
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