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tomatometer:

75% Avengers: Age of Ultron

83% Furious 7

52% The Age of Adaline

06% Paul Blart Mall Cop 2

46% Home

metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Scores Second-Biggest Opening With $187.7 Million

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” scored the second-biggest domestic opening in history this weekend, kicking off summer blockbuster season with a mammoth $187.7 million debut.

Globally, the film is a juggernaut, pulling in an estimated $627 million in 12 days of release. At that pace, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” should pass $1 billion, particularly after it opens in China on May 12.

One record remained tantalizingly out of grasp for Captain America, Iron Man and company, however. Going into the weekend many analysts predicted that “Avengers: Age of Ultron” would top the $207.4 million haul posted in 2012 by the first film in the super-team series. That box office high-water mark will stand… at least until “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” lands in theaters this Christmas.

Part of the issue may have been weaker reviews than the first “Avengers” film, as well as competition from the NBA playoffs, the Kentucky Derby and the hotly anticipated boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

The “Avengers: Age of Ultron” results are still an astonishing feat and a testament to the powerful sway that Disney and Marvel have over moviegoers around the world. The three biggest North American debuts in history are now all Marvel movies, with “Avengers: Age of Ultron” displacing “Iron Man 3″ and its $174.1 million opening from its runner-up perch on the all-time list.

“It would be a shame to see headlines saying ‘Avengers 2′ fails by not setting opening weekend records,” said Phil Contrino, vice president and chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “This is still a massive debut, but there’s something about the movie industry where people feel every weekend should set a new record.”

Roughly $18 million of “Avengers'” opening weekend loot came from 364 Imax screens, while premium large format screens scored a record $13.5 million haul. The film played broadly across demographic categories. Roughly 59% of the audience was male, 41% was 25 years and older, 12% were teenagers and 22% were families. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” carries $250 million in production costs and screened in 4,276 North American locations.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes didn’t leave much left over for other films in the marketplace. A vast chasm exists between the first and second place finishers on the domestic charts, with “Age of Adaline” clocking in behind “Avengers: Age of Ultron” with $6.3 million, bringing Lionsgate’s romantic fantasy’s total to $23.4 million.

Universal’s “Furious 7″ nabbed third place with $6.1 million, bringing its stateside plunder to $330.5 million. The action sequel is now the fourth highest-grossing film of all time on a worldwide basis with $1.4 billion in tickets sold.

Fourth place went to Sony’s “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2″ at roughly $5.4 million, bringing its domestic score to $51 million, while DreamWorks Animation’s “Home” came in fifth with $3.3 million pushing its total to $158.1 million.

In limited release, Fox Searchlight’s “Far From the Madding Crowd” grossed $172,000 from five markets over in its opening weekend for a per screen average of $17,200. The indie label will add 19 new markets next weekend and plans to get to approximately 95 theaters by the Mother’s Day weekend. Fox Searchlight used the same weekend last year to launch “Belle,” another art house film pegged at older, affluent female crowds.

“It’s a classic, beautifully shot period piece and we feel that it’s a film that will work perfectly for Mother’s Day,” said Frank Rodriguez, senior vice president of distribution at Fox Searchlight.

The overall box office topped out at $227 million thanks largely to the costumed heroes. That represented a sizable 47.3% increase over the same weekend last year when “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″ bowed to $91.6 million.

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for source*

 

[Scorpion Soldier]

Inb4 people come in declaring the end of days for Marvel

Even if it didn't match the first, $187 million is still pretty insane.

 

[mreddie]

Age of _____ titled movies seem to be the new trend?

 

[Obliterator]

Good opening for Ultron but for sure a bummer it didn't crack 200 million. Then again the fight last night had millions of buys and also cost $100. That for sure had some impact. Maybe with no fight it still doesn't break the record but gets to that $200 million mark.

Watching what kind of legs Ultron has is going to be very interesting over the next few weeks

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Huge numbers indeed.

It'll be interesting to see the 2nd weekend. To see if it was just the fight that hurt its numbers.

 

[RevoDS]

I'm confused now. Is the Age of Marvel done or does it continue? :/

 

[Hamlet]

While not quite as high as Disney was expecting this is still pretty impressive.

The three biggest North American debuts in history are now all Marvel movies, with “Avengers: Age of Ultron” displacing “Iron Man 3″
Disney Marvel films own the top three openings at the all-time domestic box office with Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3 ($174.1M bow).

Wonder how long Marvel will have a grip on that.

 

[friskykillface]

what if it increased next week D:

kentucky derby x game 7 x floyd probably had parents glued to the tv so kids couldn't go this weekend, i know a few friends of mine didnt see it yesterday due to those events.

Thanos waiting for his money

 

[Ithil]

While not quite as high as Disney was expecting this is still pretty impressive.

Wonder how long Marvel will have a grip on that.

With Civil War and Infinity War on the horizon, a long time.

 

[cutmeamango]

And I bet this terrible fall will bleed out to Jurassic Park 4.

 

[CREMSteve]

Crazy numbers. Marvel is just printing money at this point.

 

[massivekettle]

Avengers' 1 domestic gross is out of reach. Best Ultron can hope for is to reach $500m domestically which, while good, is still tremendously disappointing.

 

[Cheebo]

what if it increased next week D:

kentucky derby x game 7 x floyd probably had parents glued to the tv so kids couldn't go this weekend, i know a few friends of mine didnt see it yesterday due to those events.

Thanos waiting for his money

That is not going to happen. Sunday estimates would have a much better drop if that was the case.


Disney fucked up by bragging about potentially taking down the opening weekend on Friday.

 

[mreddie]

Thinking the BO will take a small hit next weekend, I doubt it might rise but again, I'm sure Disney is saddened Ultron made less than Avengers 1.

 

[Jigorath]

While not quite as high as Disney was expecting this is still pretty impressive.

Wonder how long Marvel will have a grip on that.

Batman vs Superman might shove itself in there.

 

[ReturnOfTheRAT]

Cinderella jumped because of drive-in specials with Avengers.

Tonight I'll see Ex Machina.

 

[Cheebo]

Avengers' 1 domestic gross is out of reach. Best Ultron can hope for is to reach $500m domestically which, while good, is still tremendously disappointing.

It cant hit 500 with an opening like this. IM3 multiplier would be 441 mil. 450 mil seems likely. 470 if it had insanely good legs.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

It cant hit 500 with an opening like this. IM3 multiplier would be 441 mil. 450 mil seems likely. 470 if it had insanely good legs.

My entry in the summer predictions thread is FUCKED.

 

[BumRush]

Inb4 people come in declaring the end of days for Marvel

Even if it didn't match the first, $187 million is still pretty insane.

Don't worry, GAF already has a "marvel is finished" thread, going strong right now.

 

[Matt_]

I'm not sure whats more disappointing, the numbers or that thread title
I expected better from you xao

 

[hamchan]

Where is the thread title joke?

 

[Cheebo]

My entry in the summer predictions thread is FUCKED.

I am pretty sure nearly everyone's was ruined. I don't think anyone predicted below 500 mil in there did they?

 

[Messypandas]

Where is the thread title joke?

Agendas Assemble

 

[Christopher]

Avengers' 1 domestic gross is out of reach. Best Ultron can hope for is to reach $500m domestically which, while good, is still tremendously disappointing.

Lol yes so dissapointing...

 

[Slayven]

How long before we see a movie with a half billion dollar budget?

 

[Dysun]

I didn't love it, but it was still good. I'll go see it again this week in a matinee.
Feel bad for people who dropped 100 on MayPac instead of going to see it

 

[Wreck-It Ralph]

While not quite as high as Disney was expecting this is still pretty impressive.

Wonder how long Marvel will have a grip on that.

Until December.

How long will Disney have a grip on that? Pretty much for the foreseeable future.

 

[bananafactory]

Not really surprising, the novelty of the first Avengers isn't quite as fresh. Still a hell of an opening weekend, though.

 

[Cheebo]

Lol yes so dissapointing...

Mid-400s is disappointing coming off of 600 mil plus for the first. You can be disappointing and still make a ton of money.

Similar to how The Dark Knight Rises boxoffice was disappointing compared to The Dark Knight.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

Avengers was all right. I don't think I enjoyed it as much as the first one.

Sadly, I think a lot of the problem for me was that I already have my excitement level pointed at Civil War, Black Panther, and Spider-Man and that another Avengers movie with what was basically another monster-of-the-week villain just felt a bit also-ran by the time I finally saw it.

 

[vicissitudes]

A bit disappointing compared to the first and early predictions...but still great. The question is are 3rd phase movies all going to see a similar drop.

Sports had about as much of an impact as the theater shootings did on TDKR (which is to say, not much).

 

[Messypandas]

Its all up to these guys now

 

[Ridley327]

How long before we see a movie with a half billion dollar budget?

A single film? Hard to say, but that's pretty much what it cost to make some series that were shot at the same time, like the Hobbit films and the back-to-back Pirates of the Caribbean sequels.

 

[gimmmick]

Next time Marvel should think about releasing a film that wasn't during the greatest weekend for sports. Between the disappointing boxing match, amazing game 7 clippers / spurs playoffs, Kentucky Derby, NHL playoffs and draft... it's kind of remarkable people even went out to see a movie. Though I will say this, I think everyone was expecting 200 million opening... kind of a head scratcher when a film doesn't deliver.

 

[IAmRandom31]

Avengers' 1 domestic gross is out of reach. Best Ultron can hope for is to reach $500m domestically which, while good, is still tremendously disappointing.

TREMENDOUSLY disappointing?

how so?

 

[vinnygambini]

How long before we see a movie with a half billion dollar budget?

We've already seen as such with Pirates: Strangers Tide

$410 million production budget - add P&A, it's way over $500 million.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/csylt/2014/07/22/fourth-pirates-of-the-caribbean-is-most-expensive-movie-ever-with-costs-of-410-million/

 

[Cheebo]

Its all up to these guys now

I still get chills just seeing Ford as Han again.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Much less than I had expected.

To be fair though, the Ultron storyline was kind of an anticlimactic choice.

 

[Obliterator]

A bit disappointing compared to the first and early predictions...but still great. The question is are 3rd phase movies all going to see a similar drop.

Sports had about as much of an impact as the theater shootings did on TDKR (which is to say, not much).

That is just simply not correct. May vs Pac did $400 million dollar's. It had an impact

 

[Hamlet]

With Civil War and Infinity War on the horizon, a long time.

True

Batman vs Superman might shove itself in there.

Yeah that might having a chance of nudging itself in there. Wonder if the final Hunger games could get a boost due to it being the last one. Though Mockingjay pt1 opening was lower than expected.

 

[obin_gam]

 

[Caboose]

People expecting Star Wars to break the opening weekend record in DECEMBER are delusional. December is all about legs, not huge openings.

 

[bananafactory]

People expecting Star Wars to break the opening weekend record in DECEMBER are delusional. December is all about legs, not huge openings.

Normally? Yes.

But this is motherfucking Star Wars. It doesn't play by the rules.

 

[Takamura-San]

We are getting Paul Blart 3 aren't we?

 

[Cheebo]

People expecting Star Wars to break the opening weekend record in DECEMBER are delusional. December is all about legs, not huge openings.

Yep. It won't come close to 187 mil but Star Wars is going to easily break 500 mil for the domestic crown this year.

 

[mreddie]

We are getting Paul Blart 3 aren't we?

sandlerlaughing.gif

 

[Matt_]

Normally? Yes.

But this is motherfucking Star Wars. It doesn't play by the rules.

other than return of the jedi, star wars has never had the opening weekend record
so yes it does

 

[Ithil]

Its all up to these guys now

There is pretty much 0% chance that Star Wars takes the opening weekend record. It's a December release. Winter films have lower openings, longer legs.

 

[Takamura-San]

DAMN! These Unfriended Numbers. SHIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttt!

 

[Hamlet]

Until December.

How long will Disney have a grip on that? Pretty much for the foreseeable future.

I doubt Star Wars will get in there with a December release. December doesn't really have super big openings.