Posted on 05/07/2012 12:32:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
It's safe to say that everyone expected Marvel's "The Avengers" to smash the box office when it opened in U.S. theaters this weekend, but no one could foresee just how many records it would break.
According to Deadline Hollywood, the Joss Whedon-directed film grossed more than $207 million domestically this weekend, blasting away the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" record of $169 million. The film now also holds the #1 spot for highest Saturday gross of all time with a whopping $69.7 million made in a single day.
"We are really in uncharted territory now with an opening like this," Phil Contrino of BoxOffice.com told MTV News.
With "Avengers" exceeding fan and critic expectations, is the film poised to break any other records? Box Office Guru editor Gitesh Pandya predicts some hefty numbers. "It also broke the speed record for hitting $200 million, doing it in a mere three days, beating a trio of past hits that did it in five days," he said. "And I project it will become the fastest film in history to smash the $1 billion global box-office mark, doing it in about 20 days or so. 'Avengers' just might end up becoming the highest-grossing non-James Cameron film ever."
Exhibitor Relations' Jeff Bock agrees, saying, "[It] will likely take down many of 'The Dark Knight' and 'Deathly Hallows, Part 2' [records], including best first-week gross and fastest to $300 million."
But with such huge numbers in the beginning, there's a chance the film could drastically drop in weeks to come. "I don't think it can possibly manage to drop only 55-60 percent like most summer blockbusters, but if it does then it could very well challenge the $533.3 million domestic gross of 'The Dark Knight,' " Contrino said. "I don't think it will catch 'Titanic' or 'Avatar' domestically, but I wouldn't completely rule it out either. It all depends on how much repeat business it gets."
Pandya agrees that "Avengers" will have a sizable drop in its second weekend in theaters. "We won't see 'Titanic' or 'Avatar'-type legs here, but a final domestic gross of more than $450 million seems likely."
Bock is a little more optimistic, putting the overall domestic tally at $500 million. "As reviews have been through the roof, it will definitely benefit from repeat viewings," he said. " 'The Avengers' success is now the model by which all comic book franchises will now be judged. This certainly played out like a sequel, because it was built like one. In fact, this was a super-sequel arriving with the most built-in buzz in the history of modern-day cinema."
Contrino credits the buzz to Disney's incredible campaign to market the film. "They combined traditional marketing — TV spots, trailers — with plenty of outreach on Facebook and Twitter. Marketers will be studying this for years to come."
But marketing departments won't be the only teams studying up on Disney and Marvel's success. Bock believes DC Comics should be taking some notes. "Marvel maneuvered their characters like Bobby Fischer moved chess pieces — always thinking of the next move," he said.
"This was Marvel's master plan from the beginning and it turned into a master class. If DC can eventually get all their universe straightened out, there is no reason a Justice League movie couldn't blow up the box office like Marvel's 'Avengers' did."
Pandya agrees, crediting the success in part to the directors. "Other studios should learn to trust big franchises in the hands of talented directors and to keep fans engaged throughout the process so they feel like they are part of the team," he said. "Give audiences a solid piece of entertainment and they will reward you back with huge bags of cash."
Hellsbells, I’m WELL outside that demo and I was at the Midnight showing!
“The Avengers” tv series, started in the UK in 1961.
“The Avengers” comic book started in the US in 1963.
Coincidental names. I like both.
BTW both the US and the UK have comic strips called “Dennis the Menace”. They are both about boys, and they both debuted in March of 1951, five days apart. (US on March 12th, UK on March 17th). But they are very different and completely unrelated to each other.
But Robert Downey just “came out of the closet” as a conservative. He dedicated the opening of the movie to “The Heroes of 9/11”
Even Jackson admits to carrying a gun.
Black Widow, “You may want to skip this one, Cap. They are men of legend. They’re basically gods...”
Cap, “There’s only one God ma’am and I’m sure he doesn’t dress like that.”
My theater erupted with that line. It’s nice to be with the fanboys sometimes.
Avengers occurs one month or so after Captain America and about a year after Thor in the timeline.
Best scene was when Hulk did a rag doll on Loki...laughed my a$$ off!
>>Worth seeing in 3D.<<
Here I have to disagree with you. Maybe my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be or maybe it was just the IMAX, but the blur that happens when you turn your head in 3D made me miss some of the action. Especially in the last sequence when they flew in sequence across the screen. Also the shaky cam in 3D didn’t work for me.
Our audience was cheering and laughing so much after that, most of us missed Hulk’s line after.
We also had a Marvel vs. DC dance off in the lobby. I couldn’t get over how many costumes we had. I did love the Batmans, Robins and Catwomen who were fighting the Marvel characters.
I love my theater. They always come through.
the line was “puny god” in case you were still wondering.
I’m in my early 40s and most of my friends around my age are very happy to see our comic book heroes up on the big screen. Most kids in their teens and twenties couldn’t have named Iron Man or Captain America 5 years ago... most middle aged men in America could.
“The Avengers is a movie with an appeal to people in their late teens to early twenties.”
Uh, I am 60 and saw it yesterday with my sis and her husband.
Why the appeal? As a kid, I collected all those Marvel comics like Spiderman, FF4, Avengers, Xmen.
Happened to notice some not-so-young folks in the audience.
BTW, I still have all those old comics.
Agree, and that scene was a “payoff” that wouldn’t have worked if two things weren’t already working: 1) Hiddleston’s work at being a convincing villain; and 2) Hulk’s animator’s making Hulk a convincing, well, Hulk.
Hulk’s response to Loki’s “how dare you ... I am a god” comment reminded me of how Indiana Jones reacted to the marketplace villain with the scimitar in “Raiders”: As if to say, “Really? Wasting my time? Boom.”
It was pretty enjoyable. I wish Josh Whedon had done the Transformer movies.
John Steed and Emma Peel. Back in the day I would’ve drunk Emma Peel’s bathwater.
RDJ is arguably one of the finest actors of his generation. I am so happy he’s sobered and cleaned up.
I finally had the misfortune to watch a few minutes of that show. Verdict: Whiny, clueless metrosexual sitzpinklers act stupid to canned laughter.
Her guns were always too small, but she was still smoking hot...
Plus, Scarlett Johansson in a catsuit.
If you found that crew to be metrosexual you need a better definition of the word. You could also lighten up and buy a sense of humor.
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