Studio Estimates: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Explodes with Record-Breaking Weekend, Topping ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

Monday Morning Update:

Disney’s studio estimate for Avengers: Infinity War have been raised from Sunday — and it was already breaking records on Sunday.

The domestic opening estimate has been raised from $250.0 million to $258.2 million. That’s the highest opening of all time, or second-highest ever when adjusted for ticket price inflation behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The weekend increase was primarily because the Sunday estimate was raised substantially, from $61.0 million to $69.2 million. That makes it the highest-grossing Sunday of all time, whether in pure dollars or adjusted for ticket price inflation.

 

The global opening estimate was also raised from $630.0 million to $640.9 million, the best ever ahead of last summer’s The Fate of the Furious.


Sunday Update:

Avengers: Infinity War has started the summer movie season with a huge bang. The latest chapter in the MCU canon more than delivered on its immense promise this weekend with a colossal, record-breaking opening of $250 million, surpassing Star Wars: The Force Awakens‘ opening weekend gross of $247.9 million back in December 2015. If estimates hold, that means the Disney-Marvel blockbuster now has the biggest opening weekend of all time.

Infinity War‘s astronomical opening wasn’t much of a surprise when considering the film’s grosses early in the weekend, where it took in $39 million in Thursday night previews (fourth best of all time) and a gargantuan $105.9 million on Friday (making it the second best opening day all-time and the first non-Star Wars film to gross over $100 million in its first full day of release). It didn’t hurt that the team-up sequel, which features the largest cast of Marvel characters in a single movie to date, received largely-positive reviews (it has a “Certified Fresh” score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a solid “A” Cinemascore based on exit surveys.

In addition to beating out Star Wars, the opening represents a major improvement on the two previous Avengers installments, which took in $207.4 million and $191.2 million, respectively, on their way to final grosses of $623 million and $459 million in North America.

How Infinity War performs in the weeks ahead will be key in determining its final placement on the list of all-time blockbusters. As we’ve mentioned here previously, the film’s legs could potentially suffer due to the fact that it’s not a standalone MCU installment – which tend to hold better – but rather the first of a two-part story that hinges on a particularly dark cliffhanger. Nonetheless, this is a massive debut that once again reaffirms the enduring power of the MCU brand and its dedication to quality, audience-pleasing filmmaking.

Needless to say, Infinity War more or less leveled nearly every other title currently in the marketplace, including two-time champ A Quiet Place, which finished a very, very distant second with $10.6 million in its fourth weekend. That represents the Paramount hit’s highest drop to date (49 percent), but given the competition that’s actually a stellar hold. The Paramount release’s total now stands at a remarkable $148.1 million.

In third place, STX’s I Feel Pretty grossed an estimated $8.1 million, down a not-bad 49 percent from last weekend. The Amy Schumer vehicle weathered the Infinity War-dominated frame better than most holdovers, partially owing to the fact that it’s not competing as directly with the MCU blockbuster as more action-oriented titles. The film’s total now stands at a so-so $29.5 million after ten days, putting it slightly below Schumer’s previous comedy Snatched, which finished with a disappointing $45.8 million last summer.

In fourth place was previous No. 1 finisher Rampage, which grossed $7.1 million in its third weekend. The Dwayne Johnson action flick took a mighty hit from Infinity War, plunging 64 percent to give it a total of $77.9 million after 17 days. With the blockbuster summer movie season heating up, the video game adaptation is very unlikely to top $100 million domestically but it’s thus far more than quadrupled its North American haul overseas, giving it a healthy $334.6 million total worldwide.

The only film not to crumble in the face of Infinity War was standalone MCU title Black Panther, which took in $4.3 million in weekend number 11. The blockbuster actually benefitted from the current hype around its MCU counterpart, easing just 11 percent from last weekend’s haul. The Ryan Coogler-directed behemoth now boasts a total of $688 million domestically, putting it within striking distance of $700 million.

Suffering the worst tumble of any movie in the Top 10 was last weekend’s surprise success Super Troopers 2, which plummeted 76 percent to sixth place with $3.6 million in its sophomore frame. The nosedive wasn’t a huge surprise, as the sequel to the 2002 cult comedy had a heavily front-loaded opening weekend made up of superfans who had waited over 15 years for a follow-up (and many of whom contributed to the film’s successful Indiegogo campaign). The Fox Searchlight release now has a better-than-expected $22 million after ten days.

Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare finished in seventh place in it third weekend with $3.2 million, giving the Universal horror flick a total of $35.3 million after 17 days. Blockers finished in eighth place in its fourth weekend with $2.9 million, giving the Leslie Mann-John Cena comedy a respectable $53.2 million so far. Ninth and tenth went to Ready Player One and Traffik, which grossed $2.4 million and $1.6 million in their fifth and second weekends, respectively. The Spielberg sci-fi’s total now stands at $130.6 million domestically while the Lionsgate thriller has $6.7 million.

Limited Release: 

In its opening weekend of limited release, Bleecker Street’s Disobedience grossed an estimated $241,276 on just four screens, giving the Rachel Weisz-Rachel McAdams drama an impressive per-theater average of $48,255. The well-reviewed film about the forbidden sexual relationship between two Orthodox Jewish women is set to open wider in the coming weeks.


Weekend Actuals (Domestic)

FRI, APR. 27 – SUN, APR. 29

WIDE (1000+)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Avengers: Infinity War $257,698,183 4,474 $57,599 $257,698,183 1 Disney
2 A Quiet Place $11,004,977 -47% 3,565 -243 $3,087 $148,528,278 4 Paramount
3 I Feel Pretty $8,176,757 -49% 3,440 0 $2,377 $29,620,318 2 STX Entertainment
4 Rampage $7,205,315 -64% 3,508 -607 $2,054 $78,030,872 3 Warner Bros
5 Black Panther $4,736,428 -4% 1,650 -280 $2,871 $688,364,917 11 Disney
6 Super Troopers 2 $3,729,287 -75% 2,125 87 $1,755 $22,214,216 2 20th Century Fox
7 Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare $3,268,145 -58% 2,420 -648 $1,350 $35,374,140 3 Universal
8 Blockers $2,975,260 -56% 2,324 -810 $1,280 $53,246,750 4 Universal
9 Ready Player One $2,563,325 -65% 2,365 -843 $1,084 $130,811,543 5 Warner Bros. / DreamWorks
10 Traffik $1,654,694 -58% 1,046 0 $1,582 $6,786,968 2 Lionsgate / Summit / Codeblack Films
11 Isle of Dogs $1,427,275 -59% 1,001 -946 $1,426 $27,047,998 6 Fox Searchlight

LIMITED (100 — 999)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 A Wrinkle in Time $981,856 34% 371 -294 $2,647 $94,930,902 8 Walt Disney Pictures
2 I Can Only Imagine $777,709 -68% 970 -1024 $802 $81,084,294 7 Roadside Attractions
3 Chappaquiddick $694,989 -62% 704 -751 $987 $15,808,831 4 Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
4 Sherlock Gnomes $673,943 -52% 731 -728 $922 $40,637,943 6 Paramount / MGM
5 Tyler Perry’s Acrimony $640,477 -67% 540 -608 $1,186 $42,223,020 5 Lionsgate
6 You Were Never Really Here $350,105 -32% 233 50 $1,503 $1,793,480 4 Amazon Studios
7 The Miracle Season $290,939 -74% 430 -692 $677 $9,441,585 4 LD Entertainment
8 Beirut $271,252 -73% 237 -518 $1,145 $4,542,141 3 Bleecker Street
9 Lean on Pete $243,088 38% 167 98 $1,456 $667,818 4 A24
10 The Death of Stalin $226,050 -31% 150 -60 $1,507 $7,218,423 8 IFC Films
11 Peter Rabbit $205,918 -27% 229 -115 $899 $114,560,612 12 Sony / Columbia
12 Kings $163,289 214 $763 $163,289 1 The Orchard
13 Game Night $150,090 -25% 208 -3 $722 $68,415,071 10 Warner Bros.
14 Love, Simon $126,090 -75% 173 -318 $729 $40,493,994 7 20th Century Fox
15 Finding Your Feet $119,921 -33% 124 -67 $967 $1,154,247 5 Roadside Attractions
16 Paul, Apostle of Christ $104,607 -68% 177 -200 $591 $17,276,253 6 Sony Pictures Entertainment
17 Pacific Rim Uprising $104,505 -82% 224 -422 $467 $58,941,465 6 Universal
18 The Leisure Seeker $104,438 -38% 117 -66 $893 $2,889,304 8 Sony Pictures Classics
19 Tomb Raider $100,085 -64% 162 -141 $618 $56,896,683 7 Warner Bros.
20 The Greatest Showman $96,186 -35% 146 -23 $659 $173,675,694 19 Fox
21 Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle $86,451 -33% 140 -35 $618 $404,259,315 19 Sony / Columbia

PLATFORM (1 — 99)

# TITLE WEEKEND LOCATIONS AVG. TOTAL WKS. DIST.
1 Disobedience $237,393 5 $47,479 $237,393 1 Bleecker Street
2 The Rider $175,279 146% 37 28 $4,737 $344,613 3 Sony Pictures Classics
3 Pandas $112,282 -14% 33 0 $3,402 $801,459 4 Warner Bros.
4 Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami $45,015 14% 19 10 $2,369 $186,388 3 Kino Lorber
5 Let The Sunshine In $39,699 2 $19,850 $39,699 1 IFC Films
6 Final Portrait $37,999 -48% 69 -31 $551 $375,100 6 Sony Pictures Classics
7 A Bag Of Marbles $37,247 -22% 14 -2 $2,661 $190,101 6 Gaumont
8 Red Sparrow $35,355 -49% 75 -55 $471 $46,719,454 9 20th Century Fox
9 1945 $32,823 38% 16 3 $2,051 $604,588 26 Menemsha Films
10 Midnight Sun $30,483 -17% 93 3 $328 $9,524,528 6 Open Road
11 Zama $30,059 45% 14 9 $2,147 $105,538 3 Strand Releasing
12 The Endless $28,459 -40% 20 3 $1,423 $131,762 4 Well Go USA Entertainment
13 Ghost Stories $27,741 132% 12 11 $2,312 $44,837 2 IFC Films / IFC Midnight
14 Love After Love $26,275 165% 29 19 $906 $90,911 5 IFC Films
15 The Strangers: Prey At Night $25,892 -62% 62 -28 $418 $24,370,260 8 Aviron Pictures
16 God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness $24,939 -61% 65 -46 $384 $5,606,849 5 Pure Flix
17 Death Wish $23,279 -50% 42 -26 $554 $33,918,615 9 MGM
18 Foxtrot $22,663 41% 32 6 $708 $565,490 9 Sony Pictures Classics
19 Oh Lucy! $17,853 43% 18 3 $992 $329,914 9 Film Movement
20 Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum $16,092 -20% 6 -1 $2,682 $74,521 3 Well Go USA Entertainment
21 Godard Mon Amour $14,670 33% 17 13 $863 $31,835 2 Cohen Media Group
22 Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story $14,548 -4% 14 -1 $1,039 $769,635 23 Zeitgeist
23 Back to Burgundy $14,297 -15% 10 -6 $1,430 $186,653 6 Music Box Films
24 Ferdinand $14,104 -43% 39 -18 $362 $84,349,078 20 Fox
25 Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool $10,433 -57% 6 -19 $1,739 $1,024,266 18 Sony Pictures Classics
26 A Fantastic Woman $9,384 -63% 13 -15 $722 $1,995,221 13 Sony Pictures Classics
27 The Party $8,790 641% 9 4 $977 $744,428 11 Roadside Attractions
28 Bye Bye Germany $8,786 462% 6 4 $1,464 $19,882 3 Film Movement
29 The Post $8,779 -50% 17 -12 $516 $81,886,203 19 20th Century Fox
30 Leaning Into The Wind $8,343 -26% 14 -15 $596 $356,247 8 Magnolia Pictures
31 Le Corbeau (2018 Re-Release) $8,274 28% 1 0 $8,274 $19,476 2 Rialto Pictures
32 Keep The Change $7,722 -31% 7 1 $1,103 $140,343 7 Kino Lorber
33 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri $6,807 -45% 16 -12 $425 $54,506,962 29 Fox Searchlight
34 Maze Runner: The Death Cure $6,150 -63% 22 -17 $280 $58,030,429 14 Fox
35 Summer In The Forest $5,277 6 $880 $31,667 6 Abramorama
36 Loveless $5,132 90% 11 -1 $467 $560,194 11 Sony Pictures Classics
37 Cold Water $5,110 1 $5,110 $5,110 1 Janus Films
38 Forever My Girl $4,654 -50% 12 -10 $388 $16,371,980 15 Roadside Attractions/LD Entertainment
39 The Great Silence $4,071 5 $814 $32,534 5 Film Movement
40 The Shape of Water $3,689 -73% 12 -18 $307 $63,856,674 22 Fox Searchlight
41 Lou Andreas-Salomé: the Audacity to be Free $3,230 -36% 2 1 $1,615 $9,650 2 Cinema Libre Studio
42 Duck Butter $2,797 2 $1,399 $2,797 1 The Orchard
43 Ismael’s Ghosts $2,553 -69% 7 -10 $365 $93,880 6 Magnolia Pictures
44 Getting Grace $2,435 5 $487 $181,671 6 Hannover House
45 The Devil and Father Amorth $2,228 -71% 6 -2 $371 $13,117 2 The Orchard
46 Quai des Orfevres (2018 re-issue) $1,760 -64% 1 0 $1,760 $21,771 3 Rialto Pictures
47 The Hurricane Heist $1,148 9% 5 0 $230 $6,112,146 8 Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
48 Outside In $1,089 -70% 3 -4 $363 $67,018 5 The Orchard
49 The Heart of Nuba $1,040 -71% 2 1 $520 $9,986 4 Abramorama
50 Claire’s Camera $915 -69% 3 -1 $305 $65,838 8 Cinema Guild
51 Hitler’s Hollywood $703 -61% 3 2 $234 $27,393 3 Kino Lorber
52 Souvenir $612 -22% 1 -1 $612 $11,078 9 Strand Releasing
53 Beuys $561 -60% 1 0 $561 $60,708 15 Kino Lorber
54 Western $447 -60% 2 -1 $224 $36,129 11 Cinema Guild
55 El Mar La Mar $387 -46% 1 0 $387 $8,422 10 Cinema Guild
56 Tehran Taboo $258 169% 2 1 $129 $74,614 11 Kino Lorber
57 Hostiles $255 -88% 1 -2 $255 $29,817,901 19 Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures
58 Marrowbone $237 158% 2 0 $119 $1,218 3 Magnolia Pictures
59 Flower $164 -68% 1 0 $164 $327,395 7 The Orchard
60 In Between $98 104% 1 0 $98 $107,599 17 Film Movement

Sunday’s Studio Weekend Estimates

Friday, April 27 – Sunday, April 29, 2018

Film Studio weekend estimate Weekend # % decline Total Studio
Avengers: Infinity War $250,000,000 1 New $250,000,000 Disney
A Quiet Place $10,650,000 4 -49% $148,173,301 Paramount
I Feel Pretty $8,130,000 2 -49% $29,573,561 STX
Rampage $7,105,000 3 -64% $77,930,557 Warner Bros.
Black Panther $4,381,000 11 -11% $688,009,489 Disney
Super Troopers 2 $3,600,000 2 -76% $22,084,929 Fox
Truth or Dare $3,210,000 3 -58% $35,316,995 Universal
Blockers $2,945,000 4 -56% $53,215,490 Universal
Ready Player One $2,435,000 5 -67% $130,683,218 Warner Bros.
Traffik $1,620,000 2 -58% $6,752,274 Lionsgate
Isle of Dogs $1,400,000 6 -59% $27,020,723 Fox Searchlight
I Can Only Imagine $755,000 7 -69% $81,060,585 Roadside Attractions
Chappaquiddick $704,000 4 -61% $15,817,841 Entertainment Studios
A Wrinkle in Time $658,000 8 -10% $94,607,046 Disney
Tyler Perry’s Acrimony $646,000 5 -67% $42,228,543 Lionsgate

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