“Avengers: Endgame” shattered the record for biggest opening weekend with an estimated $350 million in ticket sales domestically and $1.2 billion globally, reaching a new pinnacle in the blockbuster era that the comic-book studio has come to dominate.
CBSNews reports that the “Avengers” finale far exceeded even its own gargantuan expectations. The movie had been forecast to open between $260 million and $300 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, but moviegoers turned out in such droves that “Endgame” blew past the previous record of $257.7 million, set last year by “Avengers: Infinity War” when it narrowly surpassed “The Force Awakens.”
With a ritzy cast including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper and Josh Brolin, it took in a stunning $330 million in China alone, the most astounding consistently opening in the Middle Kingdom, and furthermore delighted in the UK and Ireland’s greatest opening ever with takings of £43.7m.
The fourth and last section in the undertakings of Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and friends oversaw multiple times the household take of the No. 2 film, Marvel’s “Skipper Marvel,” which made $8.1 million.
Forbes notes that 45% of the global ticket sales came from 3-D showings around the world while $91.5m (£70.7m) came from IMAX screens, double Marvel Studio’s previous opening weekend record. Also 4DX – the cinema experience with stimulating effects like water, wind, scent and strobe lighting – earned $15m (£11.6m) globally on the movie.
