Deadpool turned out to be the box-office savior Marvel needed.

"Deadpool & Wolverine" earned an estimated $205 million at the domestic box office this weekend, according to Comscore, by far the largest opening ever for a R-rated movie. The record was previously held by the original "Deadpool," which debuted to $132.4 million in 2016.

The big haul also represented the eighth-largest domestic opening weekend ever, putting the debut just ahead of "Black Panther" and behind the original "The Avengers," according to Box Office Mojo.

Disney noted that "Deadpool & Wolverine" had the biggest opening weekend for any film since "Spider-Man: No Way Home" in 2021, as well as the biggest opening for a movie released in July.

Final numbers are expected Monday.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Review:Hugh Jackman claws his way back to superhero glory in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

It was a much-needed win for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, coming off a major box-office disappointment with "The Marvels." Released last November, the "Captain Marvel" sequel made just $206.1 million worldwide, a huge decline from the original film's $1.1 billion. After "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" previously disappointed at the box office, analysts questioned whether superhero franchise fatigue was hurting Marvel.

But that didn't hold back "Deadpool & Wolverine," which introduced both title heroes to the MCU for the first time. Disney acquired the rights to the characters after buying 21st Century Fox, which released the first two "Deadpool" movies. "Deadpool & Wolverine" was also the first MCU movie to receive a R rating.

It's the latest success in a strong year for Disney, which recently set a new record for highest-grossing animated film of all time with "Inside Out 2." Both movies injected life into a summer box office that got off to a slow start when "The Fall Guy" performed below expectations in May.

Spoilers!Let's discuss those epic 'Deadpool & Wolverine' cameos and ending

The weekend was a big one for Marvel all around. The studio also shocked fans on Saturday with the announcement that "Iron Man" star Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the franchise as a new character, the villainous Doctor Doom, in 2026's "Avengers: Doomsday."

For now, though, Marvel does not have another film scheduled for 2024, making this a rare year with only one movie from the studio. The MCU won't return to theaters until "Captain America: Brave New World," scheduled for Feb. 14.