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 Globally, the film is a juggernaut, pulling in an estimated
$627 million in 12 days of release. At that pace, "Avengers: Age
of Ultron" should pass $1 billion, particularly after it opens
in China on May 12.
One record remained tantalizingly out of grasp for Captain
America, Iron Man and company, however. Going into the weekend
many analysts predicted that "Avengers: Age of Ultron" would top
the $207.4 million haul posted in 2012 by the first film in the
super-team series. That box office high-water mark will stand...
at least until "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" lands in theaters
this Christmas.
Part of the issue may have been weaker reviews than the first
"Avengers" film, as well as competition from the NBA playoffs,
the Kentucky Derby and the hotly anticipated boxing match
between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
The "Avengers: Age of Ultron" results are still an astonishing
feat and a testament to the powerful sway that Disney and Marvel
have over moviegoers around the world. The three biggest North
American debuts in history are now all Marvel movies, with
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" displacing "Iron Man 3" and its $174.1
million opening from its runner-up perch on the all-time list.
"It would be a shame to see headlines saying 'Avengers 2' fails
by not setting opening weekend records," said Phil Contrino,
vice president and chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. "This is
still a massive debut, but there's something about the movie
industry where people feel every weekend should set a new
record."
Roughly $18 million of "Avengers'" opening weekend loot came
from 364 Imax screens, while premium large format screens scored
a record $13.5 million haul. The film played broadly across
demographic categories. Roughly 59% of the audience was male,
41% was 25 years and older, 12% were teenagers and 22% were
families. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" carries $250 million in
production costs and screened in 4,276 North American locations.
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Earth's Mightiest Heroes didn't leave much left over for other films
in the marketplace. A vast chasm exists between the first and second
place finishers on the domestic charts, with "Age of Adaline"
clocking in behind "Avengers: Age of Ultron" with $6.3 million,
bringing Lionsgate's romantic fantasy's total to $23.4 million.
Universal's "Furious 7" nabbed third place with $6.1 million,
bringing its stateside plunder to $330.5 million. The action sequel
is now the fourth highest-grossing film of all time on a worldwide
basis with $1.4 billion in tickets sold.
Fourth place went to Sony's "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2" at roughly $5.4
million, bringing its domestic score to $51 million, while
DreamWorks Animation's "Home" came in fifth with $3.3 million
pushing its total to $158.1 million.
In limited release, Fox Searchlight's "Far From the Madding Crowd"
grossed $172,000 from five markets over in its opening weekend for a
per screen average of $17,200. The indie label will add 19 new
markets next weekend and plans to get to approximately 95 theaters
by the Mother's Day weekend. Fox Searchlight used the same weekend
last year to launch "Belle," another art house film pegged at older,
affluent female crowds.
"It's a classic, beautifully shot period piece and we feel that it's
a film that will work perfectly for Mother's Day," said Frank
Rodriguez, senior vice president of distribution at Fox Searchlight.
The overall box office topped out at $227 million thanks largely to
the costumed heroes. That represented a sizable 47.3% increase over
the same weekend last year when "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" bowed to
$91.6 million.
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