'The Avengers' opens to record-breaking $200m - top ten in full
Published May 6 2012, 20:11 BST | By Jennifer Still
The Avengers has easily secured the number one spot at the US box office during its opening weekend.The Marvel superhero blockbuster, which features an all-star cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, dominated with a whopping $200.3 million.
The film is now the fastest to reach the $200 million mark domestically in three days, and studio estimates predict that it will become the highest-grossing debut of all time. Earnings of $80m on Friday gave it the second-highest single day take of all time, with yesterday's $69m giving The Avengers the highest Saturday gross ever.
It is now said to have earned a worldwide box office total of $600m after only 12 days on release.
Falling into second place was Think Like a Man, which brought in another $8 million.
The Hunger Games and The Lucky One held onto their places in the third and fourth spots, bringing in $5.7m and $5.5m, respectively.
Aardman Animation's comedy The Pirates! Band of Misfits fell three places this week, coming in fifth with $5.4 m, just ahead of the Emily Blunt and Jason Segel romcom The Five-Year Engagement, which slipped one spot into number six with $5.1m.
Holding onto the seventh spot, The Raven brought in an additional $2.5m, followed by Safe and Chimpanzee, both of which fell several spots, bringing in $2.5m and $2.4m each.
Finally, rounding off the top ten was The Three Stooges, which moved down a slot this week, bringing in $1.8m.
The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) The Avengers - $200,300,000
2. (1) Think Like a Man - $8,000,000
3. (3) The Hunger Games - $5,700,000
4. (4) The Lucky One - $5,510,000
5. (2) The Pirates! Band of Misfits - $5,400,000
6. (5) The Five-Year Engagement - $5,100,00
7. (7) The Raven - $2,508,000
8. (6) Safe - $2,470,000
9. (8) Chimpanzee - $2,395,000
10. (9) The Three Stooges - $1,800,000
Watch the trailer for The Avengers below:
$200.3 was the estimate - it actually opened to $207.4. Even adjusting the figures due to inflation etc - it's still the biggest opening for a movie. EVER!
http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avengers11.htm
May 7th 2012 at 9:06pm
it will be interesting to see how the Dark Knight Rises does when it comes only in July.
May 7th 2012 at 4:46pm
Maybe, but they have to fill the hole created by piracy.
May 7th 2012 at 12:09pm
I think the folks over at Empire magazine will be a little embarrassed by this. In their summer previews a couple of issues back they were predicting a total global box office of around $600m for the entire run (if memory serves). It's already surpassed that, and it's not even two weeks since it opened at its first screens! This thing is a phenomenon, and kudos to the marketing folks over at Disney/Marvel. Opening it globally to build word of mouth has paid off beautifully. Expect other Hollywood types to jump on this bandwagon in the future (at least with strong movies that look likely to generate good buzz).
May 7th 2012 at 10:32am
Viewing figures wouldn't be a bad idea. Although ticket prices don't explain the huge gap between it and other recent big openers. The previous record holder was also in 3d and only came out last year. Inflation alone doesn't explain it. Basically this movie is something of a phenomenon and you've also got to doff your caps to the marketing folks at Disney/Marvel. Opening the film globally to build massive buzz ahead of the US has to be one of the reasons for the colossal takings - folk will have been flocking to the cinema just to see what all the fuss was about. Expect other Hollywood studios to sit up and take notice.
May 7th 2012 at 10:28am