I'm going to be perfectly honest: I totally underestimated the box office potential of The Avengers. In the weeks prior to the film's release - and before I got to see just how damn good the movie is - I estimated that the movie would make roughly $80 million in its opening weekend. I based my estimate on the performance of both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, both of which actually ended up making only $65 million in their respective openings. The trick is that I am not a box office prognosticator and thank god, because I couldn't have been further off.
Disney has sent out a press release announcing that Marvel's The Avengers, written and directed by Joss Whedon, will make $200.3 million in its opening weekend, absolutely SHATTERING the previous record. Before the release of the new superhero film, the record was held by last year's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which pulled in $169 million in its first three days of release. Earlier this weekend it was predicted that the movie would only make $175 million in its opening, but apparently more people have been rushing to buy tickets than expected. It goes without saying that The Avengers is the first film in history to have a weekend opening total over $200 million, and it has managed to maintain its sterling A+ CinemaScore.
But it's not just domestically that the movie is kicking serious ass, as one could argue that the movie is doing even better overseas. The movie first debuted internationally on April 25th and has already crossed the $600 million mark in just 12 days. Highlights of these numbers include a $17.9 million debut in Russia, $17.4 million in China, and records set in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Central America, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
This is an absolutely extraordinary turn of events and I personally couldn't be more ecstatic. The Avengers is Marvel's best film yet, one of the best comic book movies ever produced, and (my personal favorite) finally delivers Joss Whedon the attention that he so deserves. Success of The Avengers can only mean good things for Hollywood and continues what has already been an amazing 2012.
