'Avengers' Scores Highest Superhero Midnight Opening Ever
It doesn't compare to the incredible midnight debuts of the last few Harry Potter and Twilight movies, but The Avengers still registered a pretty remarkable $18.7 million at midnight. That's the eighth-highest midnight opening ever, and it edges out The Dark Knight ($18.5 million) for best superhero midnight debut in history.
While the first weekend of May has historically been a great time to open tentpole comic book adaptations, high school and college students are still in class and don't tend to turn out in huge numbers at midnight. Prior to The Avengers, the best tally for a Summer kick-off title was Spider-Man 3 at $10 million, and Iron Man 2 only earned $7.5 million in its midnight debut (that's also the previous best tally for an Avengers movie).
If The Avengers follows the pace of Spider-Man 3, it would wind up with an opening weekend over $280 million. The Iron Man 2 pace translates to a $320 million debut. Those are both outrageous figures, though, and it's hard to imagine that theaters are even capable of handling that sort of demand. It's more reasonable to expect The Avengers to perform in line with The Dark Knight and get to at least $160 million for the weekend.
On a related note, The Avengers passed $300 million overseas yesterday (its ninth day in theaters). With Russia and China opening with the U.S. this weekend, it's entirely possible that The Avengers's worldwide (domestic plus foreign) total approaches $600 million by Sunday.
Top 10 Midnight Openings
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - $43.5 million
2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 - $30.3 million
3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $30.1 million
4. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - $26.3 million
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - $24 million
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - $22.2 million
7. The Hunger Games - $19.7 million
8. The Avengers - $18.7 million
9. The Dark Knight - $18.5 million
10. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - $16.5 million
Related Stories:
• Forecast: 'Avengers' Takes Aim at Opening Weekend Record
• Around-the-World Roundup: 'The Avengers' Assemble $185.1 Million Overseas Debut
• May Preview
• Summer 2012 Domestic Forecast
• 'Hunger Games' Sets Non-Sequel Midnight Record• Forecast: 'Harry Potter' to Go Out with a Bang
• Weekend Briefing: 'Eclipse' Rises With Record Release, Midnight Launch
• 'Breaking Dawn' Draws $30.25 Million at Midnight
• 'New Moon' Breaks Midnight Record
• Weekend Briefing: 'Harry Potter' Has Hallowed Midnight Launch
• Sixth 'Harry Potter' Posts Franchise-Best Opening Day
• 'Dark Knight' Begins Smashingly
While the first weekend of May has historically been a great time to open tentpole comic book adaptations, high school and college students are still in class and don't tend to turn out in huge numbers at midnight. Prior to The Avengers, the best tally for a Summer kick-off title was Spider-Man 3 at $10 million, and Iron Man 2 only earned $7.5 million in its midnight debut (that's also the previous best tally for an Avengers movie).
If The Avengers follows the pace of Spider-Man 3, it would wind up with an opening weekend over $280 million. The Iron Man 2 pace translates to a $320 million debut. Those are both outrageous figures, though, and it's hard to imagine that theaters are even capable of handling that sort of demand. It's more reasonable to expect The Avengers to perform in line with The Dark Knight and get to at least $160 million for the weekend.
On a related note, The Avengers passed $300 million overseas yesterday (its ninth day in theaters). With Russia and China opening with the U.S. this weekend, it's entirely possible that The Avengers's worldwide (domestic plus foreign) total approaches $600 million by Sunday.
Top 10 Midnight Openings
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - $43.5 million
2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 - $30.3 million
3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - $30.1 million
4. The Twilight Saga: New Moon - $26.3 million
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - $24 million
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - $22.2 million
7. The Hunger Games - $19.7 million
8. The Avengers - $18.7 million
9. The Dark Knight - $18.5 million
10. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - $16.5 million
Related Stories:
• Forecast: 'Avengers' Takes Aim at Opening Weekend Record
• Around-the-World Roundup: 'The Avengers' Assemble $185.1 Million Overseas Debut
• May Preview
• Summer 2012 Domestic Forecast
• 'Hunger Games' Sets Non-Sequel Midnight Record• Forecast: 'Harry Potter' to Go Out with a Bang
• Weekend Briefing: 'Eclipse' Rises With Record Release, Midnight Launch
• 'Breaking Dawn' Draws $30.25 Million at Midnight
• 'New Moon' Breaks Midnight Record
• Weekend Briefing: 'Harry Potter' Has Hallowed Midnight Launch
• Sixth 'Harry Potter' Posts Franchise-Best Opening Day
• 'Dark Knight' Begins Smashingly
