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BԪַAvengers: EndgameBԪַ obliterates records with $1.2B opening

To accommodate demand, the Walt Disney Co. released BԪַEndgameBԪַ in more theatres than any opening before
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The universe belongs to Marvel. BԪַAvengers: EndgameBԪַ shattered the record for biggest opening weekend with an estimated $350 million in ticket sales domestically and $1.2 billion globally, reaching a new pinnacle in the blockbuster era that the comic-book studio has come to dominate.

The BԪַAvengersBԪַ finale far exceeded even its own gargantuan expectations, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie had been forecast to open between $260 million and $300 million in U.S. and Canadian theatres, but moviegoers turned out in such droves that BԪַEndgameBԪַ blew past the previous record of $257.7 million, set last year by BԪַAvengers: Infinity WarBԪַ when it narrowly surpassed BԪַStar Wars: The Force AwakensBԪַ ($248 million or about $266 million in inflation adjusted dollars.)

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BԪַEndgameBԪַ was just as enormous overseas. Worldwide, it obliterated the previous record of $640.5 million, also set by BԪַInfinity War.BԪַ (BԪַInfinity WarBԪַ didnBԪַt open in China, the worldBԪַs second largest movie market, until two weeks after its debut.) BԪַEndgameBԪַ set a new weekend record in China, too, where it made $330.5 million.

In one fell swoop, BԪַEndgameBԪַ has already made more than movies like BԪַSkyfall,BԪַ BԪַAquamanBԪַ and BԪַThe Dark Knight RisesBԪַ grossed in their entire runs, not accounting for inflation.

Alan Horn, Disney chairman, credited Marvel Studios and its president, Kevin Feige, for challenging BԪַnotions of what is possible at the movie theatre.BԪַ

BԪַThis weekendBԪַs monumental success is a testament to the world theyBԪַve envisioned, the talent involved, and their collective passion, matched by the irrepressible enthusiasm of fans around the world,BԪַ Horn said in a statement.

To accommodate demand, the Walt Disney Co. released BԪַEndgameBԪַ in more theatres BԪַ 4,662 in the U.S. and Canada BԪַ than any opening before. Advance ticketing services set new records. Early ticket buyers crashed AMCBԪַs website. And starting Thursday, some theatres even stayed open 72 hours straight.

BԪַWeBԪַve got some really tired staff,BԪַ said John Fithian, president and chief executive of the National Association of Theater Owners. BԪַI talked to an exhibitor in Kansas who said, BԪַIBԪַve never sold out a 7 a.m. show on Saturday morning before,BԪַ and they were doing it all across their circuit.BԪַ

Not working in the filmBԪַs favour was its lengthy running time: 161 minutes. But theatres kept added thousands of showings for BԪַEndgameBԪַ to get it on more screens than any movie before to satiate the frenzy around BԪַEndgame.BԪַ Joe and Anthony RussoBԪַs film ties together the BԪַAvengersBԪַ storyline as well as the previous 21 releases of the Marvel BԪַcinematic universe,BԪַ begun with 2008BԪַs BԪַIron Man.BԪַ

For an industry dogged by uncertainty over the growing role of streaming, the weekend was a mammoth display of the movie theatreBԪַs lucrative potency. Fithian called it possibly BԪַthe most significant moment in the modern history of the movie business.BԪַ

BԪַWeBԪַre looking at more than 30 million American and more than 100 million global guests that experienced BԪַEndgameBԪַ on the big screen in one weekend,BԪַ Fithian said. BԪַThe numbers are just staggering.BԪַ

Further boosting the results for BԪַEndgameBԪַ were good reviews; it currently ranks as 96% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, the best rating for any Marvel movie aside from BԪַBlack Panther.BԪַ Audiences gave the film an A-plus CinemaScore.

Single-handedly, BԪַEndgameBԪַ led the overall weekend at the domestic box office to a record $400 million in ticket sales, according to Comscore. BԪַEndgameBԪַ accounted for a staggering 88% of those tickets. The filmBԪַs grosses were aided by 3-D screenings (a record $540 million in global ticket sales) and IMAX screenings (a company record $91.5 million).

BԪַOur partners in exhibition have done a great job with us on this film. As they saw the need, they opened up screens,BԪַ said Cathleen Taft, distribution chief for Disney. BԪַWhile there may have been a concern BԪַ Is there going to be enough seats available? BԪַ I think that exhibition met that demand and rose to the occasion.BԪַ

But if there was any shadow to the weekend for the theatrical business, it was in just how reliant theatres have grown on one studio: Disney.

Disney now holds all but one of the top 12 box-office openings of all time. (UniversalBԪַs BԪַJurassic WorldBԪַ is the lone exception.) The studio is poised for a record-breaking year, with releases including BԪַAladdin,BԪַ BԪַToy Story 2,BԪַ BԪַThe Lion King,BԪַ BԪַStar Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerBԪַ and BԪַFrozen 2BԪַ on the horizon.

Following its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Disney is expected to account for at least 40% of domestic box-office revenue in 2019, a new record of market share. The companyBԪַs BԪַCaptain MarvelBԪַ BԪַ positioned as a kind of Marvel lead-in to BԪַEndgameBԪַ BԪַ also rose to No. 2 on the weekend, eight weeks after it opened.

But theatre owners regularly speak of a BԪַhalo effectBԪַ around a movie like BԪַEndgame.BԪַ Such sensations draw in new moviegoers and expose millions to a barrage of movie trailers.

BԪַThis has got to be the biggest weekend in popcorn history,BԪַ said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. BԪַThink of the gallons of soda and the hot dogs sold. This is going to continue all week and beyond. This is going to have long-term playability for sure.BԪַ

An enormous hit was much needed for a box office that, coming into the weekend, was lagging 16% of the pace of last yearBԪַs ticket sales, according to Comscore. BԪַEndgameBԪַ moved the needle to negative 13.3% but the boost was less significant since BԪַInfinity WarBԪַ opened on the same weekend in 2018.

No other new wide release dared to open against BԪַEndgame.BԪַ Warner Bros.BԪַ BԪַThe Curse of La Llorona,BԪַ last weekBԪַs top movie, slid to third with $7.5 million.

The guessing game will now shift to just how much higher BԪַEndgameBԪַ can go. Given its start, itBԪַs likely to rival the top three worldwide grossers: BԪַThe Force AwakensBԪַ ($2.068 billion in 2015), BԪַTitanic ($2.187 billion in 1997) and BԪַAvatarBԪַ ($2.788 in 2009).

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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

1. BԪַAvengers: Endgame,BԪַ $350 million ($859 million international).

2. BԪַCaptain Marvel,BԪַ $8.1 million.

3. BԪַThe Curse of La Llorona,BԪַ $7.5 million.

4. BԪַBreakthrough,BԪַ $6.3 million.

5. BԪַShazam!BԪַ $5.5 million.

6. BԪַLittle,BԪַ $3.4 million.

7. BԪַDumbo,BԪַ $3.2 million.

8. BԪַPet Sematary,BԪַ $1.3 million.

9. BԪַUs,BԪַ $1.1 million.

10. BԪַPenguins,BԪַ $1.1 million.

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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

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