Avengers: Endgame worldwide takings pass US$2 billion, overtaking Titanic, as box-office records tumble

Disney superhero blockbuster is one of only five films to take more than US$2 billion, and passed that milestone in just 11 days compared to 47 days for Avatar
The live-action Marvel film is already the second-biggest box office earner of all time

American cinema

Tribune News Service

Published: 12:35pm, 6 May 2019

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Avengers: Endgame continued its hot cinematic run into a second weekend, swallowing the bulk of the box office in the United States and leaving newcomers such as The Intruder, Long Shot and UglyDolls to fight for scraps.

Disney’s superhero blockbuster added US$145.8 million in its second weekend (a 59 per cent drop) for a cumulative US$619.7 million, becoming the fastest movie ever to take US$600 million domestically, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore.

Globally, it surpassed the US$2 billion mark, with takings of US$2.189 billion after just 11 days of global release, a new record. (Avatar, the previous record-holder, took 47 days to reach the benchmark and grossed US$2.788 billion over the course of its cinematic run.)

Endgame is among just five films ever to reach US$2 billion, joining its predecessor Avengers: Infinity War (US$2.048 billion) to become the second Marvel film on the list and the third Disney film, with Star Wars: The Force Awakens (US$2.068 billion), Avatar and Titanic (US$2.187 billion) rounding out the list.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in a scene from Titanic. New release Avengers: Endgame has exceeded that film’s all-time box office takings of US$2.187 billion – and in just 11 days in cinemas. Photo: Paramount Pictures/AP

Endgame is already the No. 2 film of all time behind only Avatar.

In second place in the domestic US market, by quite a distance, Sony’s The Intruder premiered with US$11 million.

The thriller stars Michael Ealy and Meagan Good as young homeowners who are terrorised by the house’s previous owner (Dennis Quaid). It earned a dismal 27 per cent “rotten” score on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite an 83 per cent “fresh” ratings on Rotten Tomatores, Long Shot, starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, is no match for Avengers: Endgame. Photo: Murray Close/Lionsgate

In third place, Long Shot debuted with a lacklustre US$10 million.

Starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, the romantic comedy released by Lionsgate earned a B CinemaScore and an 83 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

At No. 4, STX Entertainment’s UglyDolls opened with a disappointing US$8.5 million. The animated musical comedy, based on a brand of toys of the same name, features the voices of Janelle Monáe, Blake Shelton, Pitbull, Kelly Clarkson and Nick Jonas, among others. It earned mixed reviews with a B-plus CinemaScore and a 34 per cent “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Brie Larson in a scene from Captain Marvel. The film’s US box office takings have passed US$420 million. Photo: Disney-Marvel Studios/AP

Rounding out the top five, Disney’s Captain Marvel added US$4.3 million in its ninth weekend, for a cumulative US$420.8 million.

At No. 6, Fox’s faith-based Breakthrough toted up an additional US$3.9 million in its third weekend, for a cumulative US$33.2 million, and Warner Bros.’ The Curse of La Llorona came in seventh, adding US$3.5 million for a cumulative US$48.1 million.

Among limited releases, IFC Films’ Non-Fiction, directed by Olivier Assayas and starring Juliette Binoche, opened with US$29,056 in two locations for an average of US$14,528.

This week in the US, Warner Bros. releases the family-friendly Pokémon Detective Pikachu , STX Entertainment opens the comedy Poms, Fox Searchlight debuts the drama Tolkien and United Artists Releasing reveals the comedy The Hustle.

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