Another IMAX 3D movie has torn up the box-office records, with “The Avengers” becoming the first movie to crack the $200 million barrier on its opening weekend in the U.S.
The film also set a new 3-day opening weekend record with $15.3 mil. from IMAX showings in 275 domestic theaters alone.
More than 52% of the colossal gross came from 3D showings in all formats, according to BoxofficeMojo.com.
Even more impressive is the cumulative global haul of $642 mil. in the first 12 days of release worldwide, according to the Walt Disney Studios, which owns producer Marvel Studios and released the movie.
The enlarged IMAX screen enhances the experience, as does the 3D, though once again not as much as one would like. IMAX trailers of “Dark Knight Rises,” featuring scenes shot with special IMAX cameras, and the IMAX 3D version of “Frankenweenie,” appear to make even better use of both formats.
It goes without saying that the appeal of “The Avengers” has gone well beyond the hardcore comic book fans of the Marvel series, first published in 1963. The Joss Whedon-directed and written movie got generally strong reviews, though I suspect true fans enjoyed the 2 1/2-hour immersion in fantasy more than the casual superhero movie fan. To me, this collection of superheroes — Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow — seems rather similar in concept to “X-Men” and “Fantastic Four,” teams made up of individuals that each have unique supernatural powers.
Don’t get me wrong, I get a kick out of good superhero movies — I thoroughly enjoyed the 1978 “Superman,” the 2005 “Batman Begins,” and “Iron Man” in 2008, and I was entertained by the original “X-Men” and many others, including the recent “Thor.” Perhaps that’s because I enjoy something with more story (especially back-story) and character development than a preponderance of battles with giant computer-generated mechanical space aliens.
Thank goodness for a steady supply of humor by Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Clark Gregg is once again terrific and gets to show a little self-deprecating humor and heroism himself as the otherwise no-nonsense beloved S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson. Mark Ruffalo is perhaps the most empathetic and human character as Bruce Banner but a little inconsistent in personality and physical capabilities when he becomes the giant green Hulk, though that erratic behavior is played for two good laughs when he cold-cocks Thor in the side of the head just for the hell of it, and when he flips the villain around like a rag doll — Thor’s quasi-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Jeremy Renner was more interesting in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” than as the high-tech-arrow-slinging Hawk. Chris Hemsworth surprisingly holds his own, even saddled with the inexplicable Old English dialogue of his Thor, who hails from another planet. Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) have much bigger roles here than in prior Marvel movies, but each is no more than serviceable to the story. The same is true for Chris Evans as the recently-thawed Captain America.
Speaking of story, there are way too many story-lines and way too much going on in general, even for a 2 1/2-hour movie. But, clearly, most audiences have been anxious for an explosive dose of pre-summer mindless escapism. And this one delivers.
The movie was released more than a week ago on April 25 in some overseas territories, where it set all-time opening weekend records in Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and most South American and Central American countries, and enjoyed massive openings in the likes of Russia on May 3 ($17.9 million) and China on Saturday, May 5, with $17.4 mil., the biggest Marvel movie opening weekend ever there.
The IMAX 3D version is in 451 digital theatres worldwide, setting a new IMAX three-day opening weekend global box office record with $21.4 mil., bringing the worldwide gross to $31.3 mil. in IMAX theatres worldwide since April 25.
While the $200 mil. in the U.S. blows away the previous biggest opening weekend in the U.S., held by last year’s “Harry Potter” finale at $169.2 mil., the Friday “Avengers” gross of $80.5 mil. and the $69.7 mil. on Saturday were second best all-time.
“The Avengers” is the first Marvel Studios film to be marketed and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios and comes less than two weeks after Disney Studios President Rich Ross was ousted from Disney following the record-setting disastrous opening and run of “John Carter” in March, a rare short-lived IMAX 3D film.
The success of “The Avengers” ensures that more Marvel and Disney superhero movies will be released. The companies announced a month ago that a sequel to 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” will be released April 4, 2014. A sequel to last summer’s “Thor” is scheduled for release November 15, 2013, and the third installment of the hit “Iron Man” series, will arrive in theaters May 3, 2013.
— By Scott Hettrick