Avengers Shatters More B-O Records

MAY 14, 2012 - With Dark Shadows providing little competition, The Avengers had no trouble extending its stranglehold on the box office over the weekend. Marvel's superhero team-up fell 50 percent to an estimated US$103.2 million, which is by far the best second weekend ever ahead of Avatar's US$75.6 million. It also topped The Dark Knight for best second weekend hold for a movie that opened to more than US$120 million. Other new records include fastest movie to reach US$300 million and US$350 million, and highest eight-day, nine-day, and 10-day grosses.


Through Sunday, The Avengers is estimated to have earned US$373.2 million, which ranks 18th on the all-time domestic chart. It's now inevitable that the movie will finish above US$500 million, and it should also claim third place on the all-time chart ahead of The Dark Knight (US$533.3 million).

Worldwide, The Avengers has collected over US$1 billion, with the overseas estimates adding US$628 to the total.

As expected, Dark Shadows couldn't hold a candle to The Avengers, though its estimated US$28.8 million opening is still a bit of a disappointment. Among recent Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaborations, that's a tiny fraction of Alice in Wonderland's US$116.1 million and around half of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's US$56.2 million. Those were both colourful, fun, recognizable properties, and Dark Shadows is much closer to Sweeney Todd and Sleepy Hollow. It significantly out-grossed Sweeney Todd (US$9.3 million at 1,249 locations) but was a bit off from Sleepy Hollow (US$30.1 million).

Here are the Top 5 North American B-O studio estimates for May 11-13, 2012 weekend, in terms of rank, (previous week ranking), Movie name (studio), Weekend takings in USD, (Cumulative gross, USD) and week on chart, courtesy of Boxofficemojo. (US$1=RM3)


1. (1) Marvel's The Avengers (BV) $103.1 million ($373.1 million) 2

2. (-) Dark Shadows (WB) $28.8 million ($28.8 million) 1

3. (2) Think Like a Man (SGem) $6.3 million ($81.9 million) 4

4. (3) The Hunger Games (LGF) $4.4 million ($386.9 million) 8

5. (5) The Lucky One (WB) $4.0 million ($53.7 million) 4