After a stunning $80.5 million opening Friday in the US, analysts were predicting a $170 weekend for Marvel’s The Avengers, putting it just ahead of last year’s $169.2 million Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 weekend. However, Joss Whedon’s film has defied expectations with an unprecedented $200.3 million opening weekend that will leave Disney asking “John Carter, who?”.
This figure puts it as the biggest US opening weekend of all time, and the fastest to reach $200 million. It will also cross the $600 million mark today internationally, after another $151.5 million this weekend internationally totalling $441.5 million overseas from 52 territories.
This has already put it ahead of Thor ($181 million), Captain America: The First Avenger ($176.6 million) and The Incredible Hulk ($134.8 million). It will now set its sights next weekend for Iron Man and Iron Man 2 ($318.4 million and $312.4 million, respectively).
Could this be the biggest superhero film of the year? May has typically marked the start of the blockbuster season, but with The Amazing Spider-man and The Dark Knight Rises still to come, this might be one of the biggest box office years for at least three of the major studios.
Figures source: Box Office Mojo, ComingSoon.Net
