MAY 4 UPDATE: Like the original “Avengers”, “Age of Ultron” had a higher opening weekend than initially estimated: $191.3 million.
MAY 3 UPDATE: “Avengers: Age of Ultron” opens to an estimated $187.7 million. While this is the second biggest opening weekend of all-time, “Ultron”‘s $187.7M is nearly $20 million less than the 2012 start of “Marvel’s The Avengers”.
It’s the question on everyone’s minds: Will “Avengers: Age of Ultron” have a bigger opening weekend than the original “Avengers”?
At the start of the 2012 Summer Movie Season, “Marvel’s The Avengers” opened officially to $207.4 million (following initial estimates of $200.3M), and the film continued to shatter all kinds of records during its five-month theatrical run.
So, we’ve established the magic opening weekend number “Ultron” has to shoot for. But Disney and Marvel will be looking at other figures as well. The first “Avengers” had an $81 million Friday. Unlike three years ago, “Ultron” showings begin Thurs. night at 7pm, and all of that money will carry over into Friday. It has to make more than $92 million in order to outperform the biggest opening day ever, which was for the final “Harry Potter” in 2011, and I do think it can. However, the expected Saturday drop-off, due to competition from the NFL Draft, the Kentucky Derby and the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight, could be significant.
And, will “Age of Ultron” be able to beat “The Avengers”‘ total gross of $623 million, which would certainly lock-up the #1 spot of Summer ’15? Because of a crowded Summer schedule ahead, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m calling for a slightly lower total of $590 million, which will still be good enough to win the season. And I do expect “Ultron” to break the opening weekend record with ultra tidy total of $220 million.
Box Office Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com
Lights Camera Jackson (a.k.a. Jackson Murphy) began his career as a film critic in 2006 at the age of 7. To date, Jackson has written nearly 1,000 reviews of new releases and, in total, has seen more than 1,500 films. In 2010, Jackson became the youngest person to win a NY Emmy Award, for his on-air movie reviews on Time Warner TV station, Capital News 9. And in 2011, Jackson was inducted into the Broadcast Film Critics Association as their youngest member. The BFCA’s annual Critics Choice Awards is one of the industry’s most recognized and prestigious awards shows. Jackson is also a member of SAG-AFTRA and votes annually for the Screen Actors Guild Awards.