Avengers 2 rakes in the big bucks

– The Avengers are mighty, but not enough to beat themselves.

The Marvel and Disney sequel earned a staggering $187.7 million (R2.7 billion) in its debut weekend, making it the second biggest US opening of all time according to Rentrak estimates yesterday.

But Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to top the all-time record of the first fi lm’s $207.4 million debut in 2012.

Although Ultron was the only new fi lm in wide release this weekend, it had some significant small screen competition: The Kentucky Derby, the NBA playoffs and the Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao fight.

Numbers could shift today, but it seems the robust counter-programming may have blockaded another record for Marvel and Disney. Still, for Disney’s head of distribution Dave Hollis, the weekend was a “spectacular result” for the fi lm, which cost a reported $250 million to produce.

Playing on 4 276 screens, the audiences for Ultron’s debut were 59% male and 41% under the age of 25.

“We’re in rare air here,” said Hollis. “Having the second biggest opening weekend in the history of the movie business is always going to be something you walk away overwhelmingly happy with. The momentum of the brand for Marvel at this point is something to take a step back and admire.”

Marvel and Disney now boast the top three opening weekends of all time with Avengers and its sequel taking the top two slots and Iron Man 3 in third place.

Hollis said this is “confirmation” that these fi lms are “bringing a completely different kind of filmmaking to cinema. They’re creating events and characters and building worlds in a way that is drawing the attention of huge crowds”.

Rentrak’s senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian agreed that the failure to top the first fi lm is “in no way” a disappointment.

“You have to put this into perspective. Considering the level of competition this weekend in the sporting world, it shows that movie-going holds its own against all other options,” he said.

Also, while the fi rst fi lm’s $207.4 million haul might just seem like a new benchmark to hit, Dergarabedian was quick to point out that opening above $200 million was “literally like breaking the box office sound barrier”.

Instead of a new industry standard, a $200 million opening might continue to be an industry rarity. Ultron’s future success is not in doubt either.

He said: “These other options were single events. ‘ Avengers’ has a very long playing time. This is a journey to $1 billion and beyond.”

With $168 million in international sales this weekend, Avengers: Age of Ultron has grossed $627 million globally in just 12 days. The film has yet to open in China and Japan. – AP

Los Angeles