411 Box Office Report: Avengers: Endgame Smashes Records With $350 Million Opening

Everyone knew Avengers: Endgame was going to break records this weekend, and it did so with gusto. The Marvel Cinematic Universe film smashed its way through a host of records with a $350 million domestic bow and a stunning $1.2 billion worldwide. Those numbers blasted way past the $275 million to $300 million that most were predicting earlier in the week. The film set no less then twenty-five records this weekend, among them the largest opening weekend, the best opening day/single day/Friday ($156.7 million), largest Saturday ($109 million), largest Sunday ($84.3 million estimated), largest opening weekend, the largest worldwide opening weekend and more.

For perspective, with a three-day take of $350 million, Endgame got to that number in half the time it took the previous record holder in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It also had the highest percentage of the total weekend box office at 90%, beating Avengers: Age of Ultron’s 84.5%, and smashed The Force Awakens’ global IMAX opening record of $47.6 million with $91.5 million in that format.

While everyone expected Endgame to be huge of course, there were factors working against the film. Notably, the three-hour running time meant that fewer screenings could be offered than shorter films like The Force Awakens, which was two hours and sixteen minutes. Thanos and company didn’t care, and neither did theaters who were showing the film on a record number of screens at 4,662. While the film would have been critic-proof, reviews praised the film with a 96% consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s the best score for an MCU film since last February’s Black Panther. And audiences obviously loved it, with the film getting a rare A+ CinemaScore — again, the first MCU film since Black Panther to do so.

The love doesn’t just come from the US, either. The $1.2 billion worldwide start is beyond a record; the previous record for a film’s worldwide opening weekend was Infinity War which was barely more than half Endgame with $640.5 million. While opinion on the film itself can and of course will vary, there’s no getting around the fact that this is an unprecedented success on every financial level.

Next weekend, of course, will see a major drop. It would be impossible not to have the film fall, and a drop of 55% to 60% would seem almost inevitable. But even an unlikely 70% drop would put it at $105 million next weekend. The film seems unlikely to match The Force Awakens’ $149.2 million take, a number that was bolstered by the fact that it opened during the notoriously well-holding holiday season. But it’s not impossible, and even if it doesn’t the movie is well on its way to a huge profit margin. If it were to match Infinity War’s domestic legs (a 2.63 multiple), it would make it to $921 million, just short of The Force Awakens’ record of $936.7 million. Passing that number is not out of the realm of possibility. Even at a massive $350 million budget plus a hefty marketing spend, this film is already likely in profit and will be huge for Disney and Marvel.

Endgame sucked the box office power out of most films, but not Captain Marvel. The other MCU film was buoyed by Endgame’s start, down just 12% to $8.1 million. This marks the first time that two MCU films held the top spots at the box office in a single weekend. Captain Marvel has stayed strong in the weeks leading up to the team-up film and was up to spots this weekend, its fourth. At this point it has $413.6 million domestically and $1.11 billion worldwide, a huge hit on its $153 million budget. It should make it to $425 million at this point, perhaps more.

Most of the rest of the box office cratered for the weekend in the face of the Avengers’ massive opening. Take The Curse of La Llorona, for instance. The pseudo-Conjuring Universe film brought in $7.5 million, down a rough 72% from its #1 start last weekend. Obviously, the film had most of its audience sucked away by Marvel, but whatever the reason it represents the biggest second-weekend drop for the horror universe to date, topping the 66% fall of The Nun last year. That said, La Llorona is in no financial danger; it has $41.3 million domestically and $87 million worldwide on a budget of just $9 million. The final domestic total should be around $55 million or so.

Breakthrough was the only other film with a moderate drop, down a solid 44% in its second frame with $6.3 million. The faith-based film served as decent counter-programming for all the superheroics at the top of the box office, and that allowed it to boost its box office to $26.1 million domestically and $33.7 million worldwide. The film is still looking at a possible $40 million in the US, which will be a semi-decent take against a $14 million budget and somewhat low marketing costs.

Shazam! predictably sunk at the box office, down 67% to $5.5 million in its fourth weekend. The DC Extended Universe film has racked up $131.1 million domestically and $346.3 million worldwide, both really solid figures against its $100 million budget. It should be moderately profitable, with a $145 to $150 million domestic end in sight.

Little sunk 59% in its third weekend with $3.4 million. The Universal comedy has $35.8 million domestically and $42.4 million worldwide thus far, enough for a minor profit against a $20 million budget. A $45 million final gross seems likely.

Dumbo dropped 51% in its fifth weekend with $3.2 million, still sputtering away as it tries to avoid as much loss against its $170 million budget as possible. The live-acton adaptation is Disney’s sole misfire this year so far, with $107 million domestically and $327.6 million overseas. The US run will end at around $112 million.

Pet Sematary had the biggest drop in the top ten this weekend, down 74% for a fourth-weekend take of $1.3 million. The Stephen King re-adaptation stands at $52.6 million domestically and very good $102.3 million worldwide, good for profit against a $21 million budget. It’s US run should close out at around $58 million.

Us joined its fellow horror films in taking a massive hit, down 73% in its sixth weekend with $1.1 million. The Jordan Peele film has a total of $172.8 million domestically and $249.4 worldwide, big numbers against a budget of $20 million. It will finish with around $177 million in the US.

The #10 spot went to yet another Disney film in Penguins, which rose two spots even as it shed 54% of its opening weekend gross. The Disneynature film had $1.1 million, bringing its total to $5.7 million. It’s always impossible to tell what the budgets are for these and marketing is very targeted, so its profit margins are unlikely to be known.

While it didn’t make the top ten, a call-out has to be made for Hellboy’s insane third-weekend drop. The box office bomb became even more of one this weekend as it fell 92% to just $355,000 in its third weekend, in part by losing 91% of its screens. It has $21.5 million domestically against a $50 million budget and won’t even hit $25 million.

Next weekend sees the arrival of more counter-programming, none of which will come even close to Endgame’s second-weekend total. They include thriller The Intruder with Dennis Quad ($12 million to $14 million), the Seth Rogan/Charlize Theron rom-com Long Shot $10 million to $13 million) and animated film Uglydolls ($15 million or so).

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN (Three-Day Domestic Numbers)
1. Avengers: Endgame – $350 million ($350 million total)
2. Captain Marvel – $8.1 million ($413.6 million total)
3. The Curse of La Llorona – $7.5 million ($41.3 million total)
4. Breakthrough – $6.3 million ($26.1 million total)
5. Shazam! – $5.5 million ($131.1 million total)
6. Little – $3.4 million ($35.8 million total)
7. Dumbo – $3.2 million ($107 million total)
8. Pet Sematary – $1.3 million ($52.6 million total)
9. Us – $1.1 million ($172.8 million total)
10. Penguins – $1.1 million ($5.7 million total)