‘Avengers: Endgame’ smashes records in global launch

LOS ANGELES: The Avengers have assembled for the last time, and they are destroying the competition — even before hitting US movie theatres.

“Avengers: Endgame,” the last in a 22-fi lm arc featuring the beloved Marvel Universe superheroes, shattered records upon its release in Asia, specifically in China, Disney — which owns Marvel Studios — announced on Thursday.

The movie raked in US$ 169 million on Wednesday, its fi rst day of release in 25 markets including China, Australia and several countries in Europe.

It set single- day box office records in China, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, said Disney, which bought Marvel Studios in 2009.

The fi lm’s performance in China was impressive — US$ 107.5 million.

In France, “Endgame” scored the biggest opening day for a Marvel fi lm. It set an overall opening day record in the Netherlands, Greece and Egypt.

The fi gures indicate that “Endgame” will surpass the receipts generated by the previous episode in the “Avengers” saga — “Infi nity War” — which came out last year, it added.

The fi lm will go into wide release in the United States and Canada on Friday, with showings in select cities from Thursday.

Experts predict the wellreviewed “Avengers” fi nale — featuring Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson and a raft of other stars — could make US$ 200 million-US$ 260 million in its opening weekend in North America.

The fi lm clocks runs just about three hours, leading US movie chain powerhouse AMC to schedule showings around the clock in several dozen cinemas to satisfy demand from moviegoing fans.

In India, the country’s main ticket trader said advance sales had exceeded US$ 2.5 million, and some cinemas in the usually Bollywood-mad country are planning around-the- clock screenings.

Pundits are predicting a debut weekend that could break records with the fi rst billiondollar worldwide opening in history.

The 21 preceding fi lms — featuring many of the comic book heroes created by the late legend Stan Lee — have earned about US$ 19 billion globally. — AFP

(From left) President of Marvel Studios/Producer Kevin Feige, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo attend the Marvel Studios’ ‘Avengers: Endgame’ cast place their hand prints in cement ceremony on Tuesday in Hollywood, California. (Below left) Fans of the Avengers strike a pose while dressed in costumes for a costume contest before the first screening of ‘Avengers: Endgame’ at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, on Thursday. (Below) A fan dressed as Ironman and a fan (inset) holds tickets at the TCL Chinese Theatre. — AFP photos