Marvel's ""The Avengers"" broke yet another box office record: taking in an estimated $103.2 million in the United States and Canada this past Mother's Day weekend, the superhero action movie had the best second weekend gross ever in domestic theatrical markets, according to the film studio. On its opening weekend, Joss Wheden's "The Avengers" brought in $207.4 million, shattering the box office record for first weekend previously held by the final installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which made $169 its first weekend in July 2011, as listed on box office aggregate website BoxOfficeMojo.com.
The action blockbuster, starring Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Chris Evans as Captain America, and Chris Hemsworth as demi-god Thor, overall has grossed well past $1 billion internationally since its open in late April 2012 in various markets, including Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Mexico.
With an overall gross of $373.2 million in the U.S. and Canada since opening on May 4, 2012, "The Avengers", based on comics by Stan Lee, broke records for fast movie to bring in $300 million and $350 million, and the highest eight-day, nine-day, and ten-day grosses, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com.
As "The Avengers" readily broke numerous box office records, it took in well beyond other features released recently, including Tim Burton's adaptation of "Dark Shadows," starring Johnny Depp, Eva Green, and Helena Bonham Carter. Burton's gothic tale brought in an estimated $28.8 million, according to its distributing film company, Warner Bros. The opening weekend sum for "Dark Shadows" paled in comparison to previous collaborations with Burton, Depp, and Carter, including "Alice in Wonderland," which made $116.1 its opening weekend, and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," which brought in $56.2 million when it opened in July 2005, according to Buena Vista/Disney and Warner Bros. respectively.
"The Avengers" is currently the second-highest grossing film of 2012 in the domestic box office, behind Lionsgate's The Hunger Games, which so far has grossed $386.9 million after bringing in another $4.4 million this past weekend, helping it take the fourth spot in the box office.
"The Avengers" may soon have competition, with the upcoming release of "Battleship" on May 18th, and the third of in the "Men in Black" series, "MIB 3," set to open on the coveted Memorial Day Weekend. For now, as box office numbers show, "The Avengers" is indeed clobbering all competition.
