“Avengers: Endgame” proved to be a real Hulk at the box office — smashing almost every record going as the first movie to gross $1.2 billion in its opening weekend.
The three-hour “Avengers” finale was a true Marvel as it opened with staggering sales figures worldwide — shattering the previous record of $640.5 million set by its own first part, “Avengers: Infinity War.”
That trend was echoed domestically, with “Endgame” grossing a record $350 million, again breaking the “Infinity War” record of $257.7 million. It broke records in 44 other markets, too.
“Endgame” was also the highest-grossing 3-D opening of all time with an estimated $540 million in ticket sales in the format worldwide.
“We’re looking at more than 30 million American and more than 100 million global guests that experienced ‘Endgame’ on the big screen in one weekend,” said John Fithian of the National Association of Theater Owners.
“The numbers are just staggering.”
Disney’s chairman, Alan Horn, hailed Marvel Studios for challenging “notions of what is possible at the movie theater.”
“This weekend’s monumental success is a testament to the world they’ve envisioned, the talent involved, and their collective passion, matched by the irrepressible enthusiasm of fans around the world,” Horn said.
The film, which started rolling out internationally on Wednesday, took just five days to cross $1 billion — more than blockbusters like “Skyfall,” ”Aquaman” and “The Dark Knight Rises” grossed in their entire runs.
To accommodate demand, the Walt Disney Co. released “Endgame” in more theaters than any opening before.
Advance ticketing services also set new records. And some theaters even stayed open 72 hours straight.
Disney’s president of distribution, Cathleen Taff, that “Endgame” was the “culmination of one of the most cherished franchises in pop culture.”
“They’ve layered and deepened the universe that people cared and loved, and our fans and moviegoers showed up for it. We couldn’t be more grateful and thrilled.”
Disney now holds all but one of the top 12 box office openings of all time, with Universal’s “Jurassic World” the lone exception.
With Post wires